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Abstract

We present accurate simulations of the dynamical bar-mode instability in full general relativity focusing on two aspects which have not been investigated in detail in the past, namely, on the persistence of the bar deformation once the instability has reached its saturation and on the precise determination of the threshold for the onset of the instability in terms of the parameter beta=T/|W|. We find that generic nonlinear mode-coupling effects appear during the development of the instability and these can severely limit the persistence of the bar deformation and eventually suppress the instability. In addition, we observe the dynamics of the instability to be strongly influenced by the value beta and on its separation from the critical value betac marking the onset of the instability. We discuss the impact these results have on the detection of gravitational waves from this process and provide evidence that the classical perturbative analysis of the bar-mode instability for Newtonian and incompressible Maclaurin spheroids remains qualitatively valid and accurate also in full general relativity.