Using Supernova Remnants to Probe Explosions, Progenitors, and Compact Object Formation

Supernova remnants (SNRs) provide the opportunity to study explosions and their environments up close. I will present results from a systematic analysis of a large sample of SNRs in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies to probe progenitors, explosions, and compact object formation. Specifically, I will discuss work on the relationship between neutron star kicks, ejecta asymmetries, and heavy element kinematics, and I will highlight investigations into how explosion properties relate to the nature of the associated neutron stars (e.g., ordinary pulsars, magnetars, central compact objects). I will show results on the progenitor star mass distributions based on the star-formation histories near the sites of SNRs, and I will also present recent work on the proximity of molecular gas to SNe, revealing insights regarding the progenitors and where the energy and momentum of the explosions is deposited