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Atacama Desert
With an average rainfall of 1mm per year, Atacama Desert is the driest desert in the world. It is located in northern Chile, in South America. While during the day temperatures vary from 25°C to 30°C, at nights, temperature drops up to -25 °C in some zones. In this category, you will find questions relating to this desert’s characteristics and features."
151 Questions
Where is the Atacama Desert and what caused it?
The Atacama Desert is a cold desert, possibly the driest area on earth, located primarily in northern Chile. It was caused by a number of factors.
1.) The high Andes Mountains to the east that block moisture from the Amazon Basin and Atlantic Ocean from reaching the Atacama.
2.) The Chilean Coastal Mountain Ranges that prevent Pacific moisture from reaching the desert.
3.) The cold Humboldt Current in the Pacific brings cold water to the coastline that has little evaporation.
4.) A perpetual inversion layer hangs over the desert. The upper atmosphere is warmer than the surface air. This prevents convection that could form rain clouds.
5.) Even when there is evaporation from the Pacific, the prevailing winds are from the east and the moisture is blown in a westerly direction, away from the desert.
Why is the Atacama Desert a barren land?
The desert receives virtually no rainfall which is needed for plants to flourish.
What are the natural resources in the Atacama Desert?
Nitrates, used in fertilizers and explosives, were the main resource of the Atacama until a few decades back when the mines were closed. Today copper is the main resource mined in the Atacama.
When was the Atacama Desert built and where?
The Atacama Desert was not "built' it was created by geological action - plate tectonics that pushed up the Andes Mountains. The Atacama is also one of the oldest deserts in the world. Scientists think parts of it have been dry for at least 20 million years and maybe as long as 40 million years.
It is locate primarily in Chile but smaller portions extend into peru, Bolivia and Argentina.
What is the climatic type of the Atacama Desert according to Koppen?
According to Koppean the Atacama is BWk. See the link below for more information.
Are there antelopes in Atacama Desert?
There are no antelope in the Atacama Desert. There are, however, vicunas and guanacos.
Where is the Atacama Desert located in relation to the Andes Mountains?
The Atacama is located to the west of the Andes Mountains in northern Chile and southern Peru.
The Atacama Desert is rich in?
The Atacama is rich in mineral resources, especially nitrates and copper.
How did the guanaco adapt to the environment of the Atacama Desert?
Few guanacos live in the actual Atacama Desert. Those few that are found there have adapted to feeding on lichens and blooms from cacti. They are able to survive on the moisture taken in from these plants.
Does Atacama Desert get the least rainfall in a year?
Yes, the Atacama Desert is one of the driest, if not the driest area on earth. Some say that the honor of driest desert should go to Antarctica.
What was the impact of the drought of Atacama in 1517?
The Atacama is in a state of perpetual drought so it really can not get any drier than it already is. So if there was a drought in 1517, it would not really have been noticeable in the Atacama.
What region is the Atacama Desert Lake Titicaca and the Andes Mountains found?
Lake Titicaca and the Atacama are located in west-central South America in or near the Andes Mountains. The Andres Mountains run almost the entire length of South America,
Why are the Atacama Desert's big in industries?
About the only industry active in the Atacama Desert is the mining industry as it is rich in some mineral resources, especially copper. Along the coast fishing is also a big industry.
Where in Chile is the Atacama Desert located?
It is located in northwestern Chile and southern Peru along the Pacific coast.
What is the prevailing wind of the Atacama Desert?
The prevailing winds are from the east. Due to the high Andes Mountains any moisture carried by these winds falls on the eastern side of the range and never arrives in the Atacama.
What stops moisture from reaching the Atacama Desert?
The prevailing winds are from east to west. Humid air from the Atlantic Ocean is forced to drop its moisture on the east side of the Andes Mountains in the Amazon Basin. That forms a rain shadow desert along the west side of the Andes.
The Atacama Desert is located on which continent?
The Atacama Desert is located on the continent of South America.
What climate issues does the Atacama Desert have?
1.) The high Andes Mountains to the east that block moisture from the Amazon Basin and Atlantic Ocean from reaching the Atacama.
2.) The coastal mountain ranges that prevent Pacific moisture from reaching the desert.
3.) The cold Humboldt Current in the Pacific brings cold water to the coastline that has little evaporation. The cold waters of the Pacific contribute to the cool climate of the Atacama.
4.) A perpetual inversion layer hangs over the desert. The upper atmosphere is warmer tha.nt the surface air. This prevents convection that could form rain clouds.
5.) Even when there is evaporation from the Pacific, the prevailing winds are from the east and the moisture is blown in a westerly direction, away from the desert.
How many miles long is Atacama Desert?
the answer is 500miles long. it is the driest desert in the world
Should the Atacama Desert be protected?
The Atacama should be protected. However, due to the lack of water, it is unsuitable for farming so that is not a problem. There are a few mining operations but they take up only a small fraction of the desert. The majority of the Atacama is self-protected. It offers little incentive for man to develop it. Some parts have been placed into national parks, however.
How does the Pacific ocean affect the Atacama Desert?
The cold Pacific tends to moderate the temperatures of the Atacama so it normally has rather cool temperatures compared to most other desert areas of the world.
What is the population density in Atacama Desert?
The population density is about 18 persons per square kilometer. Most of those people are concentrated in a few coastal cities, near the occasional oasis or in mining towns.
How did the penguins get in the Atacama Desert?
Humboldt penguins survive only on the coastline of the Pacific. They are not in the actual interior parts of Chile. They depend upon the Pacific Ocean for all their food and water so the Atacama is merely a place to build their nests and raise their young. They got there by swimming and following the cold Humboldt current of the Pacific Ocean.
Does the Atacama Desert have wind storms?
While wind storms are not a common event, the Atacama occasionally does have wind storms. In July of 2011 a strong Antarctic cold front was able to push over the Andes Mountains from the east, bringing strong winds, dust, rain and snow to parts of the northern Atacama Desert. The area around San Pedro de Atacama sometimes has dust storms that can last for days.
