Angular momentum of a singularity?

[Adrian Baker]

We know that an ice skater pulling her arms in and spinning faster is an example of the conservation of angular momentum.

As stars collapse to become Neutron stars, the rotational period can be as low as 0.001 seconds, again to conserve angular momentum.

So what happens to this angular momentum when a very large star collapses to a black hole - ie a singularity? How can a dimensionless point have angular momentum?
Is it conserved?

 

[jcsd]

Well you could ask the same thing of electrons. Yes angular momentum is conserved a black hole with angular momentum is called a Kerr black hole and is no longer spherically symetric. In this situation the singuularity becomes a ring:

http://www.physics.ubc.ca/~psih/kerr-metric/node5.html

 

[Stingray]

The definition of angular momentum in curved spacetime is very dicey, and cannot be made in general. With that warning, its probably best to consider the angular momentum "stored" in spacetime itself, not the underlying matter.

 

[Poorichard2]

To all

Just a question:

If the ice skater was spinning in outer space
with arms straight out and the skater started
to bring in the arms towards himself or herself,
would angular momentum still apply in this case?
or are there other factors to be considered?

 

[Adrian Baker]

Thanks for the replys jcsd and stingray... I'm not sure I fully understand the answer, but at least I now know that it was a sensible question...

Poorichard2 - It would be just the same in space - the skater would speed up as they moved their arms in - angular momentum would still apply in this case. (in fact, without friction it would be a great example of angular momentum being consered)