Collapse of a Rotating Toroidal Cluster

Stuart L. Shapiro, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Saul A. Teukolsky, Cornell University

This movie shows a toroidal cluster of particles with angular momentum 0.7 times the critical momentum for stable equilibrium. The radius of the toroid is 3 M. This cluster collapses to a rotating black hole. Prior to relaxing to a stationary Kerr black hole, a toroidal horizon appears. The final black hole's horizon area and circumference are close to the expected Kerr values.

Prior to forming a Kerr black hole, the configuration forms a toroidal event horizon. This was the first simulation in which such a horizon was observed.

Slow motion of the collapse showing the toroidal event horizon.

last updated 27 Feb 00 by jjm

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