Functional optimization technique for numerical solution of the radiative transfer equation

A numerical method for solving the time-independent radiative transfer problem in a flat layer with given properties and temperature distribution is proposed. This method avoids the numerical diffusion; rather, it is based on a gradient procedure for the functional minimization of the residual of the radiative transfer integral equation. Means for suppressing computational instabilities are proposed that reduce requirements for the approximation of the operators in the optimization problem but do not change the problem objective functional.