Computational Methods for the Self-Force in Black Hole Spacetimes 333
1.3.5 “Puncture” Methods
A set of recently proposed methods custom-built for time-domain numerical im-
plementation in 2 C1 or 3 C1 dimensions [11, 12, 69, 77, 116]. Common to these
methods is the idea to utilize as a variable for the numerical time evolution a “punc-
tured” field, constructed from the full field by removing a suitable singular piece,
given analytically. The piece removed approximates the correct S-field sufficiently
well that the resulting “residual” field is guaranteed to yield the correct MiSa-
TaQuWa SF. In the 2 C1D version of this approach the regularization is done mode
by mode in the azimuthal (m-mode) expansion of the full field. This procedure of-
fers significant simplification; we shall review it in detail in Section 5.
SF Calculations to Date As we have mentioned already, the program to calculate
the SF in black hole orbits has been progressing gradually, through the study of a
set of simplified model problems. Some of the necessary computational techniques
were first tested within the simpler framework of a scalar-field toy model before
being applied to the electromagnetic (EM) and gravitational problems. Authors have
considered special classes of orbits (static, radial, circular) before attempting more
generic cases, and much of the work so far has focused on Schwarzschild orbits.
The state of the art is that there now exist numerical codes for calculating the scalar,
EM, and gravitational SFs for all (bound) geodesics in Schwarzschild spacetime. It
is reasonable to predict that workers in the field will now increasingly be turning
their attention to the Kerr problem.
The information in Tables 1–3 is meant to provide a quick reference to work done
so far. It covers actual evaluations of the local SF that are based on the MiSaTaQuWa
formulation (or the analogous scalar-field and EM formulations of Refs. [102]and
[46,66,103], respectively), either directly or through one of the aforementioned im-
plementation methods. We have included weak-field and PN implementations, but
have not included quasi-local calculations and work based on the radiative Green’s
function approach. The three tables list separately works on the scalar, EM, and
gravitational SFs. In each table, works are listed roughly in chronological order.
Some of the numerical techniques indicated under “calculation method” are dis-
cussedinSections4 and 5 of this review.
The rest of this review is structured as follows. Section 2 is a self-contained intro-
duction to the mode-sum method. The basic idea is presented through an elementary
example, followed by a formulation of the method as applied to generic orbits in
Kerr. In Section 3, we discuss the practicalities of numerical calculations with point-
like sources, and review some of the methods proposed to facilitate such calculations
in both the frequency and time domains. Section 4 focuses on a particular imple-
mentation method, namely the direct time-domain integration of the Lorenz-gauge
metric perturbation equations (in Schwarzschild). This method enabled the recent
milestone calculation of the gravitational SF for eccentric orbits in Schwarzschild,
and we present results from this calculation. In Section 5 we discuss puncture-type
methods, proposed (with the Kerr problem in mind) as alternative to the standard
mode-sum scheme. We focus on one particular variant: the m-mode regularization
method. Section 6 reflects on recent advances and speculates on future directions.