Where is the largest desert in the world? Why do deserts flood?

If we study the desert in detail, we will know that the desert is generally a wind-formed landform with a hot climate and a large temperature difference between morning and evening. Most plants in the desert are drought-resistant or salt-resistant plants. Because the desert lacks food sources, there are relatively few animal species. So why does the desert flood? Let's take a look!

Contents of this article

1. Where is the largest desert in the world?

2. Why do deserts flood?

3. Why Crescent Lake will not be swallowed by the desert

Where is the largest desert in the world?

The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world. It is located in the north of Africa, with very harsh climatic conditions and is not suitable for the survival of organisms. The Sahara Desert lacks animals and vegetation, but has rich mineral resources, such as oil, natural gas, iron, phosphate, etc., and with the mining of these minerals, it has also greatly changed the economic outlook of surrounding countries.

The Sahara Desert is the largest sandy desert in the world. Its name comes from the transliteration of the Arabic word "Sahara". In Arabic, "Sahara" means a large desert, which comes from the language of the local nomadic Tuareg people and originally means "large desert". Its climate is bipolar and very harsh, making it difficult for organisms to survive.

Its formation is influenced by many factors. For example, North Africa is located on both sides of the Tropic of Cancer and is controlled by the subtropical high-pressure belt all year round. Dry and hot sinking air currents prevail. The African continent is narrow in the south and wide in the north. The area controlled by the subtropical high-pressure belt is large and the dry and hot area is wide. Secondly, North Africa is adjacent to the Asian continent. The northeast trade winds blow from the eastern land, making it difficult to form precipitation, making North Africa drier. Moreover, the North African coastline is straight, and there is the Ethiopian Plateau on the east side, which blocks the moist air currents and prevents the vast inland areas from being affected by the ocean.

The Sahara Desert has relatively sparse vegetation and not many animal resources, but it is rich in mineral resources. Since the 1950s, rich oil, natural gas, uranium, iron, manganese, phosphate and other minerals have been discovered in the desert. With the large-scale mining of mineral resources, the economic outlook of some countries in the region has changed.

Why do deserts flood?

There are two reasons why deserts flood. First, there is no soil in the desert, so water cannot penetrate the soil, which can easily cause floods. Second, the desert does not have the conditions for long-term rain, but if there is heavy rain, combined with the melting snow in the Tianshan Mountains in summer, it will form seasonal floods. The dry environment of the desert is an ideal condition for flash floods.

Many people don't believe that desert floods can occur. In fact, desert floods occur mainly because the desert is very dry and there is no soil. When encountering heavy rain, the sand in the desert has poor drainage capacity and poor water retention capacity. At this time, excessive water will cause flood disasters.

Desert floods are also related to melting ice and snow and unusual rainstorms, because deserts generally do not have the conditions for long-term rain or heavy rainstorms. If the desert suddenly encounters unusual rainstorms, coupled with the melted snow from the snow-capped mountains in summer, it will form seasonal floods.

Why Crescent Lake is not swallowed by the desert

Crescent Lake is replenished by underground undercurrents, and there is an air inlet on the northeast side that blows easterly and northwesterly winds all year round, which can blow quicksand to the top of the mountain, so it will not be swallowed by the desert. Crescent Lake has a unique topography and will not dry up for thousands of years. It is located in the Crescent Lake Scenic Area, also known as Shajing and Yaoquan, in the southwest of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province.

Crescent Lake is replenished by underground undercurrents and has a wind inlet on its northeast side. East and northwest winds blow all year round, blowing quicksand to the top of the mountain or the other side of the peak, thus preventing it from being eroded by quicksand to a certain extent. This special topography prevents it from drying up for thousands of years.

Crescent Lake is located in the southwest of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province, five kilometers away from the northern foot of Shashan Mountain. It is mainly located in the Crescent Lake Scenic Area. It was called Shajing in ancient times, and some people also called it Yaoquan. It is called Crescent Lake because of its crescent-shaped shape. The spring water is deep in the east and shallow in the west. The deepest part of Crescent Lake is about five meters, and it is called the first spring in the desert.

Crescent Moon Lake and Mingsha Mountain complement each other. Both are located in the desert and are called twin sisters in the desert Gobi. Because of its uniqueness, Crescent Moon Lake has been called one of the eight scenic spots in Dunhuang since the Han Dynasty. It has a unique position in the landscape of Dunhuang. It is famous as a wonder in the desert and is a peerless beauty in the scenery outside the Great Wall.