MALBEC: A new CUDA-C ray-tracer in general relativity

Abstract

A new CUDA-C code for tracing orbits around non-charged black holes ispresented. This code, named MALBEC, take advantage of the graphic processing unitsand the CUDA platform for tracking null and timelike test particles in Schwarzschildand Kerr. Also, a new general set of equations that describe the closed circular orbitsof any timelike test particle in the equatorial plane is derived. These equations areextremely important in order to compare the analytical behavior of the orbits withthe numerical results and verify the correct implementation of the Runge-Kutta algorithmin MALBEC. Finally, other numerical tests are performed, demonstrating thatMALBEC is able to reproduce some well-known results in these metrics in a fasterand more efficient way than a conventional CPU implementation.