1. A non-transitory machine readable memory storing computer executable instructions, comprising: instructions for configuring a computer, wherein the computer is capable of performing computation operations in parallel on up to a pre-determined number of data elements, to perform a method comprising selecting rays from a plurality rays stored on a tangible medium to be processed in a parallel computing operation, the selecting based on a set of stored data correlating the rays of the plurality with respective elements of a hierarchical acceleration structure, for which definition data is stored on a tangible medium coupled for reading by the computer, and updating the set of stored data correlating rays from the plurality with respect elements of the hierarchical acceleration structure, based on results of the parallel computing operation.