Abstract

Rapid calculation of the Voigt profile is critical for high performance in computational models for spectro- polarimetric analysis. This makes the Voigt function an ideal candidate for exploiting accelerator technologies. We have implemented the Curtis and Osborne rational polynomial approximatio... Show moreRapid calculation of the Voigt profile is critical for high performance in computational models for spectro- polarimetric analysis. This makes the Voigt function an ideal candidate for exploiting accelerator technologies. We have implemented the Curtis and Osborne rational polynomial approximation to the Voigt function in two architectures; the Cell Broadband Engine and a Graphics Processing Unit. We present a comparative analysis in two areas of relevance, the programming model and the possible speed up factor if these technologies were incorporated into a complete model. Show less