Ground-based Gamma-Ray Observations of Pulsars and their Nebulae: Towards a New Order

The excellent sensitivity and high resolution capability of wide FoV ground-based imaging atmospheric Cerenkov telescopes allow us for the first time to resolve the morphological structures of pulsar wind nebulae (PWN) which are older and more extended than the Crab Nebula. VHE gamma-ray observations of such extended nebulae (with field strengths below ~ 20 micro Gauss) probe the electron component corresponding to the unseen extreme ultraviolet (EUV) synchrotron component, which measures electron injection from earlier evolutionary epochs. VHE observations of PWN therefore introduce a new window on PWN research. This review paper also identifies conditions for maximal VHE visbility of PWN. Regarding pulsar pulsed emission, it is becoming clear that the threshold energies of current telescopes are not sufficient to probe the pulsed gamma-ray component from canonical pulsars. Theoretical estimates of pulsed gamma-ray emission from millisecond pulsars seem to converge and it becomes clear that such detections with current 3rd generation telescopes will not be possible, unless the geometry is favourable.