Speaker
Description
The fundamental concepts underlying pulsar mechanics—namely, the central engine, magnetosphere, and wind—date back several decades. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the detection and characterization of gamma-ray emission from pulsars have played a pivotal role in challenging and advancing our understanding of acceleration and radiation processes in these objects. This progress includes significant milestones, such as the historical invalidation of the polar-cap model through MAGIC and Fermi-LAT’s demonstration of the exponential (rather than super-exponential) nature of the pulsed spectrum of the Crab, and the groundbreaking extension of its spectrum into the very high energy (VHE) range by VERITAS. After a brief review, I will focus on the implications of the latest landmark discovery in the field—namely, the detection of the pulsed inverse-Compton component by H.E.S.S. in the multi-TeV range—and outline future prospects with current and upcoming instruments.
