HEAD-ON COLLISION OF 2 UNEQUAL MASS BLACK-HOLES

We present results from the first fully nonlinear numerical calculatio ns of the head-on collision of two unequal mass black holes. Selected waveforms of the most dominant l = 2, 3, and 4 quasinormal modes are s hown, as are the total radiated energies and recoil velocities for a r ange of mass ratios and initial separations. Our results validate the close and distant separation limit perturbation studies, and suggest t hat the head-on collision scenario is not likely to produce an astroph ysically significant recoil effect.