TeV gamma rays from millisecond pulsars and the detectability of globular clusters

I investigate the detectability of TeV gamma rays from millisecond pulsars, assuming the energy source that powers this emission is the loss of rotational energy of the spinning neutron star. I show that although individual sources may be too weak to detect, the contribution of many (about 1000) active millisecond pulsars may lead to currently detectable TeV gamma-ray emissions from globular clusters, provided the average pulsar converts about 0.1 percent of its spin-down energy into TeV gamma rays. Future detections of TeV gamma rays from globular clusters (or more restrictive upper limits on the fluxes) will lead to better estimates of the number of active millisecond pulsars the clusters contain, and to a better understanding of the pulsar emission mechanism. I also derive flux estimates for the following sources: (1) the Crab Nebula, (2) PSR 19374-21, PSR 1953 4-29, and PSR 1855 4-09, and (3) nearby millisecond pulsars in the galactic disk.