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The phrase multi-messenger astronomy (MMA) has been used to refer to astronomical research using multiple sources of information (i.e., multiple messengers), often counting all electromagnetic radiation (EMR) as just one of the sources/messengers. The phrase received substantial use when gamma-ray burst (GRB) and optical counterparts of a GW detection (GW170817) were identified. The term also applies to such simultaneous detection of neutrinos, something that occurred with the appearance of SN 1987A, and similarly could apply to such simultaneous detection of cosmic rays. Multi-messenger astronomy often uses alerts, i.e., when some transient phenomenon has been detected through one source, this fact is quickly broadcast to observers who can use independent types of observation.
Within the solar system, additional categories could logically be classified as independent, including direct magnetic field observation, gravity measurements and chemical analysis such as mass spectrometry, but multi-messenger astronomy is a buzzword coined with the advent of GW detections.
Possibly the phrase has also been used for disparate EMR observations, such as follow-up visible-light observation to GRBs. The phrase multi-wavelength data has been used for data from surveys that cover different frequencies over the same, such as the GOODS and SERVS efforts.