Investigations of the dynamic modes of the Poincaré gauge theory of gravity found only two good propagating torsion modes; they are effectively a scalar and a pseudoscalar. Cosmology affords a natural situation where one might see observational effects of these modes. Here, we consider only the ''scalar torsion'' mode. This mode has certain distinctive and interesting qualities. In particular, this type of torsion does not interact directly with any known matter, and it allows a critical nonzero value for the affine scalar curvature. Via numerical evolution of the coupled nonlinear equations we show that this mode can contribute an oscillating aspect to the expansion rate of the Universe. From the examination of specific cases of the parameters and initial conditions we show that for suitable ranges of the parameters the dynamic ''scalar torsion'' model can display features similar to those of the presently observed accelerating universe.

We experiment with modifications of the BSSN form of the Einstein field equations (a reformulation of the ADM equations) and demonstrate how these modifications affect the stability of numerical black hole evolution calculations. We use excision to evolve both non-rotating and rotating Kerr-Schild black holes in octant and equatorial symmetry, and without any symmetry assumptions, and obtain accurate and stable simulations for specific angular momenta J/M of up to about 0.9M .

We present a numerical code designed to study astrophysical phenomena involving dynamical spacetimes containing black holes in the presence of relativistic hydrodynamic matter. We present evolutions of the collapse of a fluid star from the onset of collapse to the settling of the resulting black hole to a final stationary state. In order to evolve stably after the black hole forms, we excise a region inside the hole before a singularity is encountered. This excision region is introduced after the appearance of an apparent horizon, but while a significant amount of matter remains outside the hole. We test our code by evolving accurately a vacuum Schwarzschild black hole, a relativistic Bondi accretion flow onto a black hole, Oppenheimer-Snyder dust collapse, and the collapse of nonrotating and rotating stars. These systems are tracked reliably for hundreds of M following excision, where M is the mass of the black hole. We perform these tests both in axisymmetry and in full 3+1 dimensions. We then apply our code to study the effect of the stellar spin parameter J/M 2 on the final outcome of gravitational collapse of rapidly rotating n = 1 polytropes. We find that a black hole forms only if J/M 2 < 1, in agreement with previous simulations. When J/M 2 > 1, the collapsing star forms a torus which fragments into nonaxisymmetric clumps, capable of generating appreciable "splash" gravitational radiation.