The pulsar content of globular clusters

Recent surveys of Galactic globular clusters have been very effective at discovering radio pulsars. By a careful analysis of selection effects in the various surveys, and after estimating the relative efficiency of pulsar production in the individual clusters, a census of the cluster population of pulsars is obtained. It is found that there are about 10,000 pulsars in the Galactic globular clusters, subject to uncertainties in pulsar beaming and binarity. Such a large population poses severe problems for the standard model of pulsar production in clusters, unless the uncertain factors due to beaming and binary are pushed to values inconsistent with the present expectations. This suggests the need for a substantial modification of the standard model, either by including accretion-induced collapse of massive white dwarfs or by increasing the retention of primordial neutron stars in the clusters. 55 refs