What is Caustics?

Caustics are the patterns of light that are produced when light is refracted or reflected by a surface. In 3D visualization, caustics can be used to create realistic lighting effects, such as the way light reflects off of a glass surface. Caustics can also be used to create more abstract effects, such as creating a rippling effect on a water surface.

Caustics can be generated using a variety of methods, but the most common method is to use ray tracing. Ray tracing is a technique that traces the path of light rays as they travel through a scene. This information can then be used to generate the pattern of light that would be seen by an observer.