How does Angular Momentum relate to the rapid rotation of Pulsars?

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SUMMARY

The discussion confirms that the Conservation of Angular Momentum is directly related to the rapid rotation of pulsars. When a massive star collapses into a pulsar, its angular momentum is conserved, resulting in a significant increase in rotational speed. Additionally, pulsars can gain extra angular momentum from infalling material from companion stars, with some pulsars reaching rotation speeds of up to 700 revolutions per second. For further details, refer to the linked Wikipedia article on millisecond pulsars.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Conservation of Angular Momentum
  • Knowledge of stellar evolution and pulsar formation
  • Familiarity with the concept of rotational dynamics
  • Basic astrophysics terminology related to pulsars
NEXT STEPS
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  • Study the effects of mass transfer from companion stars on pulsar rotation
  • Explore the characteristics and significance of millisecond pulsars
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AbsoluteZer0
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Hello,

Does the Conservation of Angular Momentum have any relation to the rapid rotation of Pulsars?
I've reasoned that the Angular Momentum of the "parent" star would be concentrated on the smaller pulsar and would produce a greater frequency of rotation.

Thanks,
 
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AbsoluteZer0 said:
Hello,

Does the Conservation of Angular Momentum have any relation to the rapid rotation of Pulsars?
I've reasoned that the Angular Momentum of the "parent" star would be concentrated on the smaller pulsar and would produce a greater frequency of rotation.

Thanks,

You are basically correct, but some pulsars are even faster than that. The extra momentum comes from infalling material usually from a companion star. The max seems to be about 700 revolutions per second.
 

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