Related papers: Alternatives to standard puncture initial data for…
We explore different gauge choices in the moving puncture formulation in order to improve the accuracy of a linear momentum measure evaluated on the horizon of the remnant black hole produced by the merger of a binary. In particular,…
Given the absence of observations of black hole binaries, it is critical that the full range of accessible parameter space be explored in anticipation of future observation with gravitational wave detectors. To this end, we compile the…
In this paper we study a new family of black hole initial data sets corresponding to distorted ``Kerr'' black holes with moderate rotation parameters, and distorted Schwarzschild black holes with even- and odd-parity radiation. These data…
We introduce two new eccentricity measures to analyze numerical simulations. Unlike earlier definitions these eccentricity measures do not involve any free parameters which makes them easy to use. We show how relatively inexpensive grid…
We present a formalism for constructing quasi-equilibrium binary black hole initial data suitable for numerical evolution. We construct quasi-equilibrium models by imposing an approximate helical Killing symmetry appropriate for…
Building initial conditions for generic binary black-hole evolutions without initial spurious eccentricity remains a challenge for numerical-relativity simulations. This problem can be overcome by applying an eccentricity-removal procedure…
The ``moving puncture'' technique has led to dramatic advancements in the numerical simulations of binary black holes. Hannam et.al. have recently demonstrated that, for suitable gauge conditions commonly employed in moving puncture…
A general relativistic, stationary and axisymmetric black hole in a four-dimensional asymptotically-flat spacetime is fully determined by its mass, angular momentum and electric charge. The expectation that astrophysically relevant black…
Orbital eccentricity and spin precession are precious observables to infer the formation history of binary black holes with gravitational-wave data. We present a post-Newtonian, multi-timescale analysis of the binary dynamics able to…
As numerical calculations of inspiralling neutron-star binaries reach values of accuracy that are comparable with those of binary black holes, a fine budgeting of the various sources of error becomes increasingly important. Among such…
We present the first comparison between numerical relativity (NR) simulations of an eccentric binary black hole system with corresponding post-Newtonian (PN) results. We evolve an equal-mass, non-spinning configuration with an initial…
With the puncture method for black hole simulations, the second infinity of a wormhole geometry is compactified to a single "puncture point" on the computational grid. The region surrounding the puncture quickly evolves to a trumpet…
Binary black-hole coalescence is treated semi-analytically by a novel approach. Our prescription employs the conservative Skeleton Hamiltonian that describes orbiting Brill-Lindquist wormholes (termed punctures in Numerical Relativity)…
Using the 3D smoothed particle hydrodynamics code PHANTOM, we investigate the evolution of the orbital properties of massive black hole binaries embedded in massive discs where gravitational instabilities (GIs) triggered by the disc…
We make a comparison between results from numerically generated, quasi-equilibrium configurations of compact binary systems of black holes in close orbits, and results from the post-Newtonian approximation. The post-Newtonian results are…
We compare different methods of computing the orbital eccentricity of quasi-circular binary black hole systems using the orbital variables and gravitational wave phase and frequency. For eccentricities of about a per cent, most methods work…
We present a new iterative method to reduce eccentricity in black-hole-binary simulations. Given a good first estimate of low-eccentricity starting momenta, we evolve puncture initial data for ~4 orbits and construct improved initial…
The standard approach to initial data for both analytic and numerical computations of black hole collisions has been to use conformally-flat initial geometry. Among other advantages, this choice allows the simple superposition of holes with…
Non-continuous "jumps" of Apparent Horizons occur generically in 3+1 (binary) black hole evolutions. The dynamical trapping horizon framework suggests a spacetime picture in which these "Apparent Horizon jumps" are understood as spatial…
We perform a systematic study of eccentric orbiting nonspinning black hole binaries. We first make a technical study of the optimal full numerical techniques to apply to these studies. We choose different gauge parameters and Courant…