X-ray and gamma-ray observations of millisecond pulsars

Abstract

The launch of several sensitive X-ray and gamma-ray instruments during the last decade heralded a new era in the research of millisecond pulsars. The current number of millisecond pulsars detected in the X-ray spectral window is about 30, including those located in globular clusters, which represents a significant fraction of the total number of spin-down powered pulsars emitting high-energy radiation.In this paper the observational X/gamma-ray status is reported for a subset of X-ray emitting millisecond pulsars which show high-energy tails: PSR B1821-24, PSR J0218+4232 and PSR B1937+21. The prospects for future detection of these 3 millisecond pulsars at soft (INTEGRAL) and hard (AGILE/GLAST) gamma-rays are discussed.

8 pages, 6 figures (1 color), Conference proceedings 4th AGILE Science Workshop "X-ray and Gamma-ray Astrophysics of Galactic Sources", Roma - June 11-13 2003