Fermi-LAT searches for gamma-ray pulsars

TL;DR

The Fermi-LAT has pioneered gamma-ray pulsar detection, discovering many through blind searches, highlighting unique challenges and future prospects in gamma-ray pulsar astronomy.

Contribution

This paper reviews key results from Fermi-LAT gamma-ray pulsar searches, emphasizing challenges and future directions in gamma-ray pulsar detection.

Findings

Approximately one third of LAT-detected pulsars were discovered via blind gamma-ray searches.

Most gamma-ray pulsars found are undetectable in radio wavelengths.

Future LAT observations could enhance gamma-ray pulsar discoveries.

Abstract

The Large Area Telescope (LAT) on the Fermi satellite is the first gamma-ray instrument to discover pulsars directly via their gamma-ray emission. Roughly one third of the 117 gamma-ray pulsars detected by the LAT in its first three years were discovered in blind searches of gamma-ray data and most of these are undetectable with current radio telescopes. I review some of the key LAT results and highlight the specific challenges faced in gamma-ray (compared to radio) searches, most of which stem from the long, sparse data sets and the broad, energy-dependent point-spread function (PSF) of the LAT. I discuss some ongoing LAT searches for gamma-ray millisecond pulsars (MSPs) and gamma-ray pulsars around the Galactic Center. Finally, I outline the prospects for future gamma-ray pulsar discoveries as the LAT enters its extended mission phase, including advantages of a possible modification of the LAT observing profile.