Relativistic Astrophysics and Numerical Relativity

Thomas Baumgarte

This talk is intended to provide a broad overview of recent contributions of numerical relativity to relativistic astrophysics. I will start by briefly reviewing some of the steps that led to the breakthrough in numerical relativity in 2005. I will then argue that numerical relativity raised and answered very important astrophysical questions surprisingly soon after this breakthrough. As examples of these questions I will discuss the "kick" of binary black hole merger remnants, spin and spin flip in binary mergers, and accretion onto merger remnants. I will close by reviewing some current developments in numerical relativity that may help resolve some long-standing astrophysical problems.