STATISTICS OF GAMMA-RAY PULSARS

We use Monte Carlo methods to simulate the galactic gamma-ray pulsar p opulation using a Compton-induced pair cascade model for gamma-ray pro duction from pulsars. We compare the distance, period, magnetic field, age, and gamma-ray flux distributions of the simulated pulsars with t hose 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 t he presence of an equatorial disk in the pulsar magnetosphere. The int egrated flux from all pulsars below the EGRET point source threshold i s calculated and found to contribute to the diffuse galactic gamma-ray flux at the 5%-10% level.