Detection of 16 Gamma-Ray Pulsars Through Blind Frequency Searches Using the Fermi LAT

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of 16 gamma-ray pulsars via blind searches with the Fermi LAT, expanding the known gamma-ray pulsar population and enabling new astrophysical insights.

Contribution

It presents the first large-scale blind search for gamma-ray pulsars using Fermi LAT data, identifying 16 new gamma-ray pulsars without prior radio detection.

Findings

Discovered 16 gamma-ray pulsars through blind searches.

Most pulsars are associated with unidentified gamma-ray sources.

Many are linked to supernova remnants.

Abstract

Pulsars are rapidly-rotating, highly-magnetized neutron stars emitting radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum. Although there are more than 1800 known radio pulsars, until recently, only seven were observed to pulse in gamma rays and these were all discovered at other wavelengths. The Fermi Large Area Telescope makes it possible to pinpoint neutron stars through their gamma-ray pulsations. We report the detection of 16 gamma-ray pulsars in blind frequency searches using the LAT. Most of these pulsars are coincident with previously unidentified gamma-ray sources, and many are associated with supernova remnants. Direct detection of gamma-ray pulsars enables studies of emission mechanisms, population statistics and the energetics of pulsar wind nebulae and supernova remnants.