Desert distribution is controlled by different mechanisms at different latitudes. Subtropical (low-latitude) deserts form under descending air of the Hadley cell (~30°N/S), while mid-latitude deserts form due to continentality — being far from moisture-bearing oceanic air masses, often compounded by rain-shadow effects of mountain ranges.
Mid-latitude deserts (e.g., Gobi, Taklamakan, Central Asian deserts, Great Basin) occur deep in continental interiors, far removed from oceanic moisture sources. As air masses travel...
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