Fully general relativistic simulation of merging binary clusters -- Spatial gauge condition --

TL;DR

This paper presents a new spatial gauge condition for 3D numerical relativity simulations of merging relativistic clusters, enabling stable long-term evolution and accurate gravitational waveform calculations, especially in non-black-hole formation scenarios.

Contribution

Introduction of a simplified spatial gauge condition that improves stability and accuracy in simulating relativistic cluster mergers in numerical relativity.

Findings

Successful simulation of cluster mergers with black hole formation and without.

Accurate gravitational waveforms with amplitudes around 10^{-18} at 4000 Mpc.

Demonstrated robustness and stability of the new gauge condition in strong gravitational fields.

Abstract

We have carried out simulations of the coalescence between two relativistic clusters of collisionless particles using a 3D numerical relativity code. We have adopted a new spatial gauge condition obtained by slightly modifying the minimum distortion gauge condition proposed by Smarr and York and resulting in a simpler equation for the shift vector. Using this gauge condition, we have performed several simulations of the merger between two identical clusters in which we have varied the compaction, the type of internal motion in the clusters, and the magnitude of the orbital velocity. As a result of the coalescence, either a new rotating cluster or a black hole is formed. In the case in which a black hole is not formed, simulations could be carried out for a time much longer than the dynamical time scale, and the resulting gravitational waveforms were calculated fairly accurately: In these cases, the amplitude of gravitational waves emitted can be $\sim 10^{-18}(M/10^6M_{\odot})$ at a distance 4000Mpc, and $\sim 0.5%$ of the rest mass energy may be dissipated by the gravitational wave emission in the final phase of the merger. These results confirm that the new spatial gauge condition is promising in many problems at least up to the formation of black holes. In the case in which a black hole is formed, on the other hand, the gauge condition seems to be less adequate, but we suggest a strategy to improve it in this case. All of the results obtained confirm the robustness of our formulation and the ability of our code for stable evolution of strong gravitational fields of compact binaries.