Air bearings for supporting a body

It is described an air bearing comprising a rotor (3) having along its circumferential direction of a circularly curved radial rotor bearing surface (6). In addition, the drive bearing comprises a stator (2) having at least one rotor (3) partially enclosing in the circumferential direction radial stator bearing surface (7), the following according to a profile of the circumferential direction of the rotor (3) is curved and for generating an air gap (17) is formed between it and the radial rotor bearing surface (6), so that prevailing in the operation of the rotor (3) supported by a in the air gap (17) air stream is stored. The profile is such that, for a starting temperature (T1) of an operating temperature (T2) differs, in comparison with a corresponding extending transversely to the circumferential direction of the first region (19) of radial stator bearing surface (7) in a second region (18) of radial stator bearing surface (7), an air gap (17) of lesser thickness as measured in radial direction (4) between the radial stator bearing surface (7) and the radial rotor bearing surface (6) is present.