  We develop a close-limit approximation to the head-on collision of two
neutron stars similar to that used to treat the merger of black hole binaries .
This approximation can serve as a useful benchmark test for future fully
nonlinear studies. For neutron star binaries, the close-limit approximation
involves assuming that the merged object can be approximated as a perturbed,
stable neutron star during the ring-down phase of the coalescence. We introduce
a prescription for the construction of initial data sets, discuss the physical
plausibility of the various assumptions involved, and briefly investigate the
character of the gravitational radiation produced during the merger. The
numerical results show that several of the merged objects fluid pulsation modes
are excited to a significant level.
