Gamma Ray Pulsar Luminosities

Abstract We apply a likelihood analysis to pulsar detections, pulsar upper limits, and diffuse background measurements from the OSSE and EGRET instruments to constrain the γ-rays pulsar luminosity law. We find a steeper dependence on period and magnetic field at OSSE than at EGRET energies. We also find that pulsars may be an important component of the OSSE diffuse flux, but are most likely not important for EGRET. We estimate that as many as half of the unidentified EGRET sources may be γ-rays pulsars. Furthermore, we predict that GLAST will detect roughly 1000 γ-rays pulsars, only 100 of which are currently known.