[Radiance-general] Specular convex reflector and surface normals?

[Lars O. Grobe]

Hi,

one question regarding "rounded" surface normals on specular surfaces. I 
have a dome with a highly specular (consider 99% specular) surface. The 
dome is an obj-mesh, with interpolated vertex normals ("smooth") and 
imported using obj2mesh.

The rounded vertexes render a smooth dome when viewed from below, as 
expected. But as this dome reflects light onto the floor, it is some 
kind of a big convex reflector. I wonder if for light reflected from 
this reflector to the ground, the normal interpolation is applied, too. 
The background for my question are big bright splotches on the floor. I 
also wonder if this geometry is something not really to be modeled in 
classic radiance, as the old questions of convex reflectors and backward 
raytracing might occur. Is this even a case for photon mapping? I have 
never been in modeling a convex reflector, for architecture this is not 
a typical example in our days, so I am curious about what you propose...

CU Lars.