Spinning mass & spatial distortion

[Diracs Dad]

Hello, Does a spinning mass warp space time differently than a non rotating mass? Is the generated gravitational field different, and have there been any experiments to actually verify or falsify this?

 

[PAllen]

Hello, Does a spinning mass warp space time differently than a non rotating mass? Is the generated gravitational field different, and have there been any experiments to actually verify or falsify this?

Yes a spinning mass is different. Look up Kerr-Newman black hole versus Schwarzschild black hole (e.g. wikipedia for a start). A major impact of rotation is frame dragging. There are a number of experimental verifications of this. Again, for a very general question like yours, it wouldn't hurt to start with wikipedia (look up frame dragging).

 

[pervect]

Specifically look at the recent gravity probe B result on frame dragging :-). And I think the graity probe page has some discussion of the physics as well.