Curvilinear coordinates and curvature in radiative transport

Abstract

We derive a general expression for the streaming term in radiative transport equa- tions and other transport problems when formulated in curvilinear coordinates, emphasizing coordinate systems adapted to the geometry of the domain and the directional dependence of particle transport. By parametrizing the angular vari- able using a local orthonormal frame, we express directional derivatives in terms of curvature-related quantities that reflect the geometry of underlying spatial man- ifolds. Our formulation highlights how the interaction between coordinate choices and curvature influences the streaming operator, offering geometric interpretations of its components. The resulting framework offers intuitive insight into when and how angular dependence can be simplified and may guide the selection of coordinate systems that balance analytical tractability and computational efficiency.