Skylight: a new code for general-relativistic ray-tracing and radiative transfer in arbitrary spacetimes

To reproduce the observed spectra and light curves originated in the neighborhood of compact objects requires accurate relativistic ray-tracing codes. In this work, we present Skylight, a new numerical code for general-relativistic ray tracing and radiative transfer in arbitrary space-time geometrie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:arXiv.org 2022-06
Main Authors: Pelle, Joaquín, Reula, Oscar, Carrasco, Federico, Bederian, Carlos
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accretion disks
Astronomical models
Coordinates
Emission analysis
Geodesy
Light curve
Neutron stars
Observers
Radiative transfer
Ray tracing
Relativistic effects
Skylights
Spectra
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Summary:To reproduce the observed spectra and light curves originated in the neighborhood of compact objects requires accurate relativistic ray-tracing codes. In this work, we present Skylight, a new numerical code for general-relativistic ray tracing and radiative transfer in arbitrary space-time geometries and coordinate systems. The code is capable of producing images, spectra, and light curves from astrophysical models of compact objects as seen by distant observers. We incorporate two different schemes, namely Monte Carlo radiative transfer, integrating geodesics from the astrophysical region to distant observers, and camera techniques with backwards integration from the observer to the emission region. The code is validated by successfully passing several test cases, among them: thin accretion disks and neutron star hot spot emission.
ISSN:2331-8422
DOI:10.48550/arxiv.2206.06429