Gravitational radiation from nonspherical infall into black holes. II - A catalog of 'exact' waveforms

The results of strong-field, perturbative calculations of gravitational radiation emitted when finite size, axisymmetric matter distributions fall into a much more massive Schwarzschild black hole are presented. Wave amplitudes and total wave energy outputs for the lowest multipole moments and, in some cases, frequency spectra are calculated. The results are presented in both graphical and tabular form to facilitate the testing of fully relativistic 2 + 1 hydrodynamical codes. The usefulness of the calculations is illustrated by one example in which the proposed test-bed calculation has been performed by Stark and Piran (1985) using their recently developed axisymmetric relativistic code. Scenarios are treated that are relevant to astrophysical discussions of gravitational radiation from nonspherical core collapse, accretion onto black holes, and tidal disruption of stars by black holes. The computed wave amplitudes may prove useful in the design and construction of gravitational wave detectors.