Simulations of black-hole binaries with unequal masses or non-precessing spins: accuracy, physical properties, and comparison with post-Newtonian results
arXiv:1007.4789 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.82.124008
Abstract
We present gravitational waveforms for the last orbits and merger of black-hole-binary (BBH) systems along two branches of the BBH parameter space: equal-mass binaries with equal non-precessing spins, and nonspinning unequal-mass binaries. The waveforms are calculated from numerical solutions of Einstein's equations for black-hole binaries that complete between six and ten orbits before merger. Along the equal-mass spinning branch, the spin parameter of each BH is , and along the unequal-mass branch the mass ratio is . We discuss the construction of low-eccentricity puncture initial data for these cases, the properties of the final merged BH, and compare the last 8-10 GW cycles up to with the phase and amplitude predicted by standard post-Newtonian (PN) approximants. As in previous studies, we find that the phase from the 3.5PN TaylorT4 approximant is most accurate for nonspinning binaries. For equal-mass spinning binaries the 3.5PN TaylorT1 approximant (including spin terms up to only 2.5PN order) gives the most robust performance, but it is possible to treat TaylorT4 in such a way that it gives the best accuracy for spins . When high-order amplitude corrections are included, the PN amplitude of the modes is larger than the NR amplitude by between 2-4%.
21 pages, 9 figures, 6 tables. Version accepted by PRD
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