Pulsars as a galactic population

Recent pulsar surveys have increased the number of known pulsars to well over 300, and many of them lie at distances of several kpc or more from the Sun. The distribution of pulsars with respect to distance from the galactic center is similar to other population I material such as HII regions, supernova remnants, and carbon monoxide gas, but the disk thickness of the pulsar distribution is rather greater. Statistical analysis suggests that the total number of active pulsars in the Galaxy is a half million or more, and because kinematic arguments require the active lifetimes of pulsars to be < approximately 5x106 years, it follows that the birthrate required to maintain the observed population is one pulsar every approximately 10 years (or less) in the Galaxy. This contribution is intended to serve as an update on what is known about the galactic distribution of pulsars. (Auth.)