Parallel hierarchical global illumination

Abstract

This paper presents an algorithm that solves the Rendering Equation to any desired accuracy, and can be run in parallel on distributed memory or shared memory computer systems with excellent scaling properties. It appears superior in both speed and physical correctness to recent published methods involving bidirectional ray tracing or hybrid treatments of diffuse and specular surfaces. Like "progressive radiosity" methods, it dynamically refines the geometry decomposition where required, but does so without the excessive storage requirements for "ray histories.".