Numerical evolution of spinning black holes and the detection of their gravitational wave signals

Sascha Husa, Mark Hannam, Parameswaran Ajith, Frank Ohme

Numerical relativity is hoped to significantly enhance the chances to detect black hole binaries with a total mass larger than about 15 solar masses, in particular when the black holes are spinning. In this talk I will summarize recent numerical results for spinning black hole binaries and discuss the matching to post-Newtonian theory and the construction of analytical waveforms describing the inspiral, merger and ringdown by matching post-Newtonian and numerical results. Some of the specific issues I will address are the effect of modeling the merger on detection rates, and how the "loudness" of signals depends on the spin, the problem of constructing low-eccentricity initial data, and the length requirements for numerical waveforms.