Abstract Based on the undisturbed, finite thickness disk gravitational potential, we carried out 3-D Monte Carlo simulations of normal pulsars. We find that their scale height evolves in a similar way for different velocity dispersions (σv): it first increases linearly with time, reaches a peak, then gradually decreases, and finally approaches a stable asymptotic value. The initial velocity dispersion has a very large influence on the scale height. The time evolution of the scale height is studied. When the magnetic decay age is used as the time variable, the observed scale height has a similar trend as the simulated results in the linear stage, from which we derive velocity dispersions in the range 70~178 km s−1, which are near the statistical result of 90~270 km s−1 for 92 pulsars with known transverse velocities. If the characteristic age is used as the time variable, then the observed and theoretical curves roughly agree for t>108 yr only if σv<25 km s−1.
Keywords pulsar: general - stars: evolution - Galaxy: structure - Galaxy: disk
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