The Galactic Millisecond Pulsar Population

TL;DR

This paper reviews the Galactic millisecond pulsar population, presents new constraints from recent surveys, and models an estimated total of around 30,000 potentially observable millisecond pulsars in the Galaxy.

Contribution

It introduces a simple population model matching observed data and provides updated constraints on the total number of Galactic millisecond pulsars.

Findings

Galactic millisecond pulsars now outnumber those in globular clusters.

Estimated total potentially observable millisecond pulsars are around 30,000.

The model aligns with observed luminosity, distribution, and scale height data.

Abstract

Among the current sample of over 2000 radio pulsars known primarily in the disk of our Galaxy, millisecond pulsars now number almost 200. Due to the phenomenal success of blind surveys of the Galactic field, and targeted searches of Fermi gamma-ray sources, for the first time in over a decade, Galactic millisecond pulsars now outnumber their counterparts in globular clusters! In this paper, I briefly review earlier results from studies of the Galactic millisecond pulsar population and present new constraints based on a sample of 60 millisecond pulsars discovered by 20 cm Parkes multibeam surveys. I present a simple model of the population containing $\sim 30,000$ potentially observable millisecond pulsars with a luminosity function, radial distribution and scale height that matches the observed sample of objects. This study represents only a first step towards a more complete understanding of the parent population of millisecond pulsars in the Galaxy and I conclude with some suggestions for further study in this area.