Compact Remnant Properties and the Supernova Engine

Supernova explosions play a wide role in astrophysics by producing compact remnants (neutron stars, black holes) and the synthesis and injection of many heavy elements into the Galaxy. Because they are produced in some of the most extreme conditions in the universe, they can also probe the physics in extreme conditions (matter at nuclear densities, neutrinos, etc.). To quantify the impact of supernovae on both fundamental physics and our understanding of the Universe, we must leverage a broad set of probes of this engine. The properties (mass, spin and kick distributions) of the compact remnants formed in these explosions provide decisive clues into the nature of the core-collapse supernova engine. Here we review the current supernova engine models and the constraints on these models placed by compact remnants.