The paper reviews the principles of the Monte Carlo method and describes specific techniques for its application in interior lighting calculations. Its use for computer graphics is discussed, and it is compared with the finite element method for computing inter-reflections.
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References
1.
See, for example, Marchuk, G.I. et al, The Monte Carlo methods in atmospheric optics, (Springer-Verlag, New York , 1980).
2.
Valuable work is described in the following papers presented at the IES National Technical Conference, Toronto1981: Modest, M.F., Daylighting calculations for non-rectangular interior spaces with shading devices. Stanger, D., Monte Carlo procedures in lighting design.
3.
The Monte Carlo method has been used extensively in calculation of heat transfer, especially of thermal radiation within enclosures. See Howell, J.R., Application of Monte Carlo to heat transfer problems in Advances in heat transfer , vol. 5, Academic Press, New York (1968).
4.
Sometimes the expressions 'photon bundles' or 'energy bundles' are used instead of 'particles'. The use of 'photons' might seem appropriate, but it implies consideration of quantum effects, whereas the calculation described is strictly Newtonian.
5.
Knuth, D.E., The art of computer programming, vol. 2 (Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass. , 1969).
6.
Tocher, K.D. , The art of simulation ( English Universities Press, London, 1963).
Plass, G.N. and Kattawar, G.W., Monte Carlo calculations of light scattering from clouds, Appl. Opt.7(3), 415 (1968). Throughout a long series of papers, these authors have developed methods for simulating atmospheric light transmission.
9.
Moon, P. and Spencer, D.E., The photic field (The MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.1981).
10.
The appropriate statistics are described clearly in Cochran, W.G., Sampling techniques , 3rd edn. (Wiley, New York, 1977). A comprehensive review of their application is given in Kleijen , J.P.C., Statistical techniques in simulation , vols. 1 & 2 (Marcel Dekker, New York, 1974).
