Origins of the term chirp mass in gravitational wave astronomy
Abstract
The term chirp mass refers to a combination of masses in a compact object binary that determines the 'chrip' of the signal. This term was popularized by a paper, known as the "Last Three Minutes" paper, published by Curt Cutler et el in 1993, but all researchers involved with the paper deny coining the term. Other notable papers by Bernard Schutz and Robert Forward and David Berman that predate the Cutler paper talk about the concept of chirp mass but don't use the term. The earliest known paper that uses the term is a conference paper from 1988 by Peter Kafka. Kafka has had a surprising amount of influence on the field of gravitational wave astronomy, and is potentially the originator of the term 'chirp mass'.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- February 2024
- Bibcode:
- 2024AAS...24321604B