Discrete ordinates method

<p>In the theory of radiative transfer, of either thermal or neutron radiation, a position and direction-dependent intensity function is usually sought for the description of the radiation field. The intensity field can in principle be solved from the integrodifferential <a href="/facts/Radiative_transfer_equation/nYE4KojG">radiative transfer equation</a> (RTE), but an exact solution is usually impossible and even in the case of geometrically simple systems can contain unusual special functions such as the <a href="/facts/Chandrasekhar%27s_H-function/rAF0ta7I">Chandrasekhar's H-function</a> and <a href="/facts/Chandrasekhar%27s_X-_and_Y-function/zY7j27dw">Chandrasekhar's X- and Y-functions</a>. The method of discrete ordinates, or the Sn method, is one way to approximately solve the RTE by discretizing both the <i>xyz</i>-domain and the angular variables that specify the direction of radiation. The methods were developed by <a href="/facts/Subrahmanyan_Chandrasekhar/LQID778M">Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar</a> when he was working on radiative transfer.
</p>

Discrete ordinates method open-in-new

Discrete ordinates method