Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 April 2016
If computer speed and storage keeps increasing at the present rate a three dimensional numerical code modelling the exact equations governing general relativistic collapse will soon be possible; however, at present it is necessary to use simplifying approximations. Provided the general relativistic effects are limited to a ‘small’ perturbation, the post-Newtonian equations of Chandrasekhar (1965) should be adequate. These equations take the form of the Newtonian equations for a self gravitating fluid with extra terms to incorporate the 1/c2 contributions, where c is the speed of light. The numerical solution of these equations can be achieved using any method appropriate for three dimensional Newtonian hydrodynamics.