Close limit evolution of Kerr-Schild type initial data for binary black holes

Abstract

We evolve the binary black hole initial data family proposed by Bishop {\em et al.} in the limit in which the black holes are close to each other. We present an exact solution of the linearized initial value problem based on their proposal and make use of a recently introduced generalized formalism for studying perturbations of Schwarzschild black holes in arbitrary coordinates to perform the evolution. We clarify the meaning of the free parameters of the initial data family through the results for the radiated energy and waveforms from the black hole collision.

8 pages, RevTex, four eps figures