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The finite element model for the propagation of light in scattering media: A direct method for domains with nonscattering regions
Author(s) -
Arridge Simon R.,
Dehghani Hamid,
Schweiger Martin,
Okada Eiji
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.598868
Subject(s) - radiosity (computer graphics) , finite element method , monte carlo method , diffusion , node (physics) , computer science , global illumination , mathematics , mathematical optimization , physics , optics , acoustics , rendering (computer graphics) , statistics , computer graphics (images) , thermodynamics
We present a method for handling nonscattering regions within diffusing domains. The method develops from an iterative radiosity‐diffusion approach using Green's functions that was computationally slow. Here we present an improved implementation using a finite element method (FEM) that is direct. The fundamental idea is to introduce extra equations into the standard diffusion FEM to represent nondiffusive light propagation across a nonscattering region. By appropriate mesh node ordering the computational time is not much greater than for diffusion alone. We compare results from this method with those from a discrete ordinate transport code, and with Monte Carlo calculations. The agreement is very good, and, in addition, our scheme allows us to easily model time‐dependent and frequency domain problems.