COMPTEL skymapping: a new approach using parallel computing.

Large-scale skymapping with COMPTEL using the full survey database presents challenging problems on account of the complex response and time-variable background. A new approach which attempts to address some of these problems is described, in which the information about each observation is preserved throughout the analysis. In this method, a maximum-entropy algorithm is us ed to determine image and background simultaneously. Because of the extreme computing requirements, the method has been implemented on a parallel comp uter, which brings large gains since the response computation is fully para llelizable. The zero level is left undetermined in this method. Results usi ng data from 7 years of COMPTEL data are presented.