Deserts and Subtropical High Pressure Systems
What is associated with deserts such as the Sahara or the Arabian Desert?
Which of the following is associated with these names deserts such as the Sahara or the Arabian Desert?
- subpolar lows
- subtropical high pressure
- northeast trade winds
- southeast trade winds
Answer:
The Sahara and Arabian Deserts are associated with subtropical highs, which are regions of high air pressure at about 30 degrees latitude.
Many desert areas are caused by subtropical high pressures. Such areas are consistently warm, dry, and also sunny. The Sahara desert in Africa and the Arabian desert in the Middle East are examples of deserts associated with subtropical high pressures. These regions, also known as horse latitudes, are located between latitudes 30 and 35 degrees north and south.
Subtropical highs result in minimal rainfall and variable winds, with periods of calm winds. They occur when warm air from the equator rises, moves towards the poles, cools, and descends at around 30 degrees latitude. This descending air creates dry conditions, leading to the formation of deserts like the Sahara and Arabian Desert.
The extremely arid conditions in these deserts can be attributed to the presence of subtropical high-pressure systems, which dominate the atmospheric conditions in these regions.