reflection and backscattering of radiation

[vero_81]

Is reflection the same thing as backscattering?

[FRinaldo]

Is reflection the same thing as backscattering?

I don't think it is the same.

In my opinion,
The backscattering is the radiation coming from objects, for example walls, ground, trees.

The reflection should be the radiation diffused by the air, which is more intensive most from clouds that means coming from the top.

So that, reflection comes from top, backscattering comes from bottom.

That’s my opinion.

Ciao.
Fabio.

[Folly]

the main difference between reflection and scattering is about wave's phase coherence.
In a "pure" reflection there isn't discontinuity of phase while in scattering phase becomes random.
This because scattering effect arises in presence of obstacles which size is comparable with wavelenght; collision of the incident wave on obstacles produces waves propagating in several directions with phase randomly varying.

The "main" atmosferic scattering is the Rayleigh one, this is the reason for the blue colour of the sky.

Backscattering is simply the backward component (with respect to the direction of propagation) of the scattered wave.