Statistics of gamma-ray pulsars

We use Monte Carlo methods to simulate the galactic gamma-ray pulsar population using a Compton-induced pair cascade model for gamma-ray production from pulsars. We compare the distance, period, magnetic field, age, and gamma-ray flux distributions of the simulated pulsars with those of the seven known gamma-ray pulsars and find that this model can reproduce the observed trends given a pulsar cap size between 3 and 4 times larger than the nominal polar cap size. Polar caps of this size are suggested by braking index measurements and can be explained by the presence of an equatorial disk in the pulsar magnetosphere. The integrated flux from all pulsars below the EGRET point source threshold is calculated and found to contribute to the diffuse galactic gamma-ray flux at the 5%-10% level.