RC

Ritika Chitlangia

Question 5Answer in 150 wordsGS1GS1

Major hot deserts in the northern hemisphere are located between 20-30 degrees north and on the western side of the continents. Why?

Open scan (p.14)

Introduction

Tropical hot deserts are found between 20-30°N, located on western side of continents, exemplified by Thar desert (India), Sahara desert (Africa), Arabian desert, Chihuahua, Sonoran desert (USA-Mexico).

27 words

Main Body

Location of hot deserts:

120-30°N
this zone is marked by the sub-tropical high pressure zone, reinforcing mechanical high pressure, due to subtropical westerly jet stream.
this causes atmospheric desiccation, leading to doudless skies, high winds (gaining effect) and negligible precipitation
(ii) Western side of continentsthis can be attributed to 5 reasons:
(a) Offshore windsthe peripheral trade winds are offshore, thus no land-use blow from land to sea. No moistureno rainfall.
(b) Cold upwelling surgedue to density upswelledupwelling of cold bottom watersstrengthens high pressure, produce drying effect on coastal deserts.

Thus, most tropical deserts are found in a certain specified belt due to various complementary ocean-atmospheric interactions.

121 words5 paragraphs
  • Good examples of major deserts
  • Scientific explanation of pressure zones
  • Specific latitudinal references

Topper

Ritika Chitlangia

Subject & Paper

GS1GS1

Topic

Salient features of World's Physical Geography

Deserts and climatic zones

Hot desert distribution

Writing Stats

148

Total words

5

Paragraphs