Related papers: Binary black hole initial data from matched asympt…
We solve for single distorted black hole initial data using the puncture method, where the Hamiltonian constraint is written as an elliptic equation in R^3 for the nonsingular part of the metric conformal factor. With this approach we can…
A benchmark problem for numerical relativity has been the head-on collision of two black holes starting from the ``Misner initial data,'' a closed form momentarily stationary solution to the constraint equations with an adjustable closeness…
We apply a formulation of Einstein's general relativity with only cubic interactions for deriving the metric of a Schwarzschild black hole to all orders in perturbation theory. This cubic interactions formulation coupled to effective…
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…
We continue to study the response of black-hole space-times on the presence of additional strong sources of gravity. Restricting ourselves to static and axially symmetric (electro-)vacuum exact solutions of Einstein's equations, we first…
At early times in numerical evolutions of binary black holes, current simulations contain an initial burst of spurious gravitational radiation (also called "junk radiation") which is not astrophysically realistic. The spurious radiation is…
A key obstacle for theory-specific tests of general relativity is the lack of accurate black-hole solutions in beyond-Einstein theories, especially for moderate to high spins. We address this by developing a general framework--based on…
We present a method for computing the evolution of a spacetime containing a massive particle and a black hole. The essential idea is that the gravitational field is evolved using full numerical relativity, with the particle generating a…
We present a new class of 3D black hole initial data sets for numerical relativity. These data sets go beyond the axisymmetric, ``gravity wave plus rotating black hole'' single black hole data sets by creating a dynamic, distorted hole with…
The construction of initial data for black-hole binaries usually involves the choice of free parameters that define the spins of the black holes and essentially the eccentricity of the orbit. Such parameters must be chosen carefully to…
We describe early success in the evolution of binary black hole spacetimes with a numerical code based on a generalization of harmonic coordinates. Indications are that with sufficient resolution this scheme is capable of evolving binary…
Motivated by a geometric understanding of the angular velocity of a Kerr black hole in terms of a quasi-conformal map that describes a 2d Beltrami fluid flow, a new way to construct initial data sets for binary rotating black holes by…
A shortcoming of current binary black-hole initial data is the generation of spurious gravitational radiation, so-called junk radiation, when they are evolved. This problem is a consequence of an oversimplified modeling of the binary's…
No analytic solution is known to date for a black hole in a compact dimension. We develop an analytic perturbation theory where the small parameter is the size of the black hole relative to the size of the compact dimension. We set up a…
We generalize Bowen-York black hole initial data to hyperboloidal constant mean curvature slices which extend to future null infinity. We solve this initial value problem numerically for several cases, including unequal mass binary black…
We present a highly accurate, fully analytical model for the late inspiral, merger, and ringdown of black-hole binaries with arbitrary mass ratios and spin vectors, including the contributions of harmonics beyond the fundamental mode. This…
The orbital motion of inspiralling and coalescing black hole binaries can be investigated using a variety of approximation schemes and numerical methods within general relativity: post-Newtonian expansions, black hole perturbation theory,…
We perform the first fully nonlinear numerical simulations of black-hole binaries with mass ratios 100:1. Our technique for evolving such extreme mass ratios is based on the moving puncture approach with a new gauge condition and an optimal…
Misner initial data are a standard example of time-symmetric initial data with two apparent horizons. Compact formulae describing such data are presented in the cases of equal or non-equal masses (i.e. isometric or non-isometric horizons).…
The characteristic initial value problem has been implemented as a robust computational algorithm (the PITT NULL CODE), with direct application to binary black holes. The event horizon can be analyzed by characteristic techniques as a…