# Prospects for Pulsar Studies at MeV Energies

## TL;DR

This paper discusses the potential of future MeV gamma-ray telescopes to advance pulsar studies by addressing key questions about pulsar populations, emission mechanisms, and magnetospheric physics, building on Fermi LAT observations.

## Contribution

It highlights the scientific prospects and necessary instrument capabilities for MeV gamma-ray telescopes to explore pulsar phenomena in greater detail.

## Key findings

- Fermi LAT has revealed gamma-ray pulsar populations and their distribution.
- Open questions include pulsar populations near the Galactic center and emission mechanisms.
- A sensitive MeV telescope could detect and characterize MeV-peaked pulsars.

## Abstract

Enabled by the Fermi Large Area Telescope, we now know young and recycled pulsars fill the gamma-ray sky, and we are beginning to understand their emission mechanism and their distribution throughout the Galaxy. However, key questions remain: Is there a large population of pulsars near the Galactic center? Why do the most energetic pulsars shine so brightly in MeV gamma rays but not always at GeV energies? What is the source and nature of the pair plasma in pulsar magnetospheres, and what role does the polar cap accelerator play? Addressing these questions calls for a sensitive, wide-field MeV telescope, which can detect the population of MeV-peaked pulsars hinted at by Fermi and hard X-ray telescopes and characterize their spectral shape and polarization.