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Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 5496–5499 (2000)

Grazing Collisions of Black Holes via the Excision of Singularities

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Steve Brandt1, Randall Correll2,3, Roberto Gómez4, Mijan Huq1, Pablo Laguna1, Luis Lehner2,5, Pedro Marronetti2, Richard A. Matzner2, David Neilsen2, Jorge Pullin1, Erik Schnetter1, Deirdre Shoemaker1, and Jeffrey Winicour4
1Center for Gravitational Physics and Geometry, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
2Center for Relativity, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712
3National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D.C. 20546
4Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
5Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z1

Received 15 August 2000; revised 15 September 2000; published in the issue dated 25 December 2000

We present the first simulations of non-head-on (grazing) collisions of binary black holes in which the singularities are excised from the simulation. Initially equal mass m black holes (spinning or not) are separated by ≈10m and with impact parameter ≈2m. Evolutions to t≈35m are obtained where two separate horizons are present for t≈3.8m; then a single enveloping horizon forms indicating that the holes merged. Apparent horizon area estimates suggest gravitational radiation of about 2%–3% of the total mass. The evolutions end after a moderate amount of time because of instabilities.

© 2000 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.5496
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.5496
PACS:
04.25.Dm, 04.30.Db, 97.60.Lf
 
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