Backscattering of light at a black hole

[MasterD]

In my book it states that if you shine a laser beam on a black hole some of the light is backscattered; so that way you can detect black holes; why is that?

Is it because of diffraction or is it because of quantum mechanical effects?

 

[George Jones]

In my book it states that if you shine a laser beam on a black hole some of the light is backscattered; so that way you can detect black holes; why is that?

Is it because of diffraction or is it because of quantum mechanical effects?

What book?

If you send light in just the right direction, it will loop once around the black hole and come back to your eye/detector. If you send light in just the right direction, it will loop twice around the black hole and come back to your eye/detector. If you send light in just the right direction, it will loop three times around the black hole and come back to your eye/detector. ...

I'm not sure about the feasibility of using this as a method for detecting black holes.

 

[Entropia]

The backscattering of light at a black hole is a result of both diffraction and quantum mechanical effects. Diffraction refers to the bending of light waves around objects, similar to the way waves in water bend around a rock. In the case of a black hole, the intense gravitational pull causes the light to bend and scatter in different directions. This is why some of the light from a laser beam would be backscattered rather than being absorbed by the black hole.

However, quantum mechanical effects also play a role in the backscattering of light at a black hole. According to quantum mechanics, particles, including photons of light, can also behave like waves. This means that they can interact with the strong gravitational field of the black hole, causing them to scatter in different directions.

Overall, both diffraction and quantum mechanical effects contribute to the backscattering of light at a black hole, making it possible to detect these elusive objects. By studying the patterns of backscattered light, scientists can gather valuable information about the properties and behavior of black holes.