Gravitational Wave Chirp
Post-Newtonian binary inspiral: strain waveform h(t), chirp mass, and a coalescing orbit in WebGL.
About this tool
Generate a leading-order gravitational-wave chirp from a circular binary.
- Chirp mass
M_c = (m₁ m₂)3/5/(m₁+m₂)1/5 - Frequency vs time-to-coalescence:
f(τ) ∝ M_c−5/8 τ−3/8 - Strain amplitude
h ∝ (M_c5/3/D) f2/3(face-on quadrupole)
The waveform and orbit stop at the ISCO, the limit of this inspiral model. It does not include merger or ringdown. Press Run for the plot and animation.