It combines an odd Collatz step with the division by 2 that necessarily follows it. Consequently, an orbit of the Terras map reaches 1 iff the
corresponding Collatz orbit reaches 1.
Terras (1976, 1979) used this map to study Collatz stopping times and proved the existence of limiting densities for positive
integers with bounded first-drop time.
Lagarias, J. C. "The Problem and Its Generalizations." Amer. Math. Monthly92,
3-23, 1985.Terras, R. "A Stopping Time Problem on the Positive
Integers." Acta Arith.30, 241-252, 1976.Terras,
R. "On the Existence of a Density." Acta Arith.35, 101-102,
1979.