Improved numerical stability of stationary black hole evolution calculations

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 nonrotating 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 $0.9M.$