Numerical Simulations of Black Hole Formation

Using recent advance in numerical relativity, three-dimensional simulations of the formation of black holes through gravitational collapse of rotating stars have been performed with unprecedented accuracy. In the case of rotating neutron stars, unstable to quasi-radial oscillations, the complete transition from one stationary solution of Einstein's equations to another, including the formation of horizons and gravitational wave emission has been demonstrated. In the case of differentially rotating supermassive stars, non-axisymmetric dynamical instabilities can lead to fragmentation and prompt collapse to supermassive black holes. Here, we present a summary of recent, detailed numerical simulations by Baiotti et al. [1] and Zink et al. [2, 3].