Initial Configuration

Evolution is performed with the BSSN scheme on an Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) grid. Initially both black holes are nonspinning and in a quasicircular orbit. The initial binary is described by "puncture" initial data for nonspinning black holes.

We consider two differing BHBH mass ratios: an equal mass case with mass ratio M_BH:M_BH = 1:1, and an unequal mass case with mass ratio M_BH:M_BH = 3:1. The total (ADM) initial mass of the system is labeled by M and its actual magnitude is arbitrary.

last updated 17 Sept 09 by TC