A 3D radiative transfer framework

I. Non-local operator splitting and continuum scattering problems

¹ Hamburger Sternwarte, Gojenbergsweg 112, 21029 Hamburg, Germany e-mail: yeti@hs.uni-hamburg.de
² Homer L. Dodge Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 W. Brooks, Rm 100, Norman, OK 73019-2061, USA e-mail: baron@nhn.ou.edu
³ CRD, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, MS 50F-1650, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720-8139, USA

Received: 18 July 2005
Accepted: 3 January 2006

Abstract

We describe a highly flexible framework to solve 3D radiation transfer problems in scattering dominated environments based on a long characteristics piece-wise parabolic formal solution and an operator splitting method. We find that the linear systems are efficiently solved with iterative solvers such as Gauss-Seidel and Jordan techniques. We use a sphere-in-a-box test model to compare the 3D results to 1D solutions in order to assess the accuracy of the method. We have implemented the method for static media, however, it can be used to solve problems in the Eulerian-frame for media with low velocity fields.