BLACK-HOLE DATA VIA A KERR-SCHILD APPROACH

We present a new approach for setting initial Cauchy data for multiple black hole space-times. The method is based upon adopting an initiall y Kerr-Schild form of the metric. In the case of non-spinning holes, t he constraint equations take a simple hierarchical form which is amena ble to direct numerical integration. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated by solving analytically the problem of initial data in a perturbed Schwarzschild geometry.