Abstract
We describe and study an instantaneous definition of eccentricity to be applied at the initial moment of full numerical simulations of binary black holes. The method consists of evaluating the eccentricity at the moment of maximum separation of the binary. We estimate it using up to third post-Newtonian (3PN) order, and compare these results with those of evolving (conservative) 3PN equations of motion for a full orbit and compute the eccentricity $e_r$ from the radial turning points, finding excellent agreement. We next include terms with spins up to 3.5PN, and then compare this method with the corresponding estimates of the eccentricity $e_r^{NR}$ during full numerical evolutions of spinning binary black holes, characterized invariantly by a fractional factor $0\leq f\leq1$ of the initial tangential momenta. It is found that our initial instantaneous definition is a very useful tool to predict and characterize even highly eccentric full numerical simulations.
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