mojave desert (seasonal)

Location of Mojave Desert

South eastern california and southern nevada. Smallest and driest desert in the USA

Climate in the Mojave Desert

50mm/year of rainfall (average)
Temperatures seasonal avg 31˚C in summer and 20˚C in winter
NE has water from the Sierra Nevada snow melt
20˚C diurnal range

Landforms of the NE of Mojave desert

Alluvial fans
Wadi canyon
Pediment with inselbergs

Landforms of SW of Mojave desert

Sand dues- star, barchan
Playas

Aridity of Mojave

Both arid but SW could be classified as hyper arid

Causes of aridity in NE

Rain shadow effect reason for the dryness
Global atmospheric circulation is the reason for the location

Causes of aridity in SW

California cold ocean currants and northern winds pick up NE sediment and deposits it in SW dunes reason for the dryness
Global atmospheric circulation reason for the location

Soils in NE of Mojave desert

Aridisols: sierozems -Vegetation can grow
Moisture available
Semi arid, water dominant and dramatic land scapes

Soils in SW of Mojave desert

Aridisols: raw mineral soils - no organic matter, hyper arid

Vegetation of NE Mojave desert

Creosote bush phretaphytes- Long roots, store water
Xerophytes- stores all liquid in leaves

Mojave desert in the past

Formed from volcanic activity
Area covered with lakes
Water and tectonics shaped the Mojave

Mojave desert in the present

NE: Fluvial is important (episodic) - depends on snow melt
SW: wind is most important in shaping the landscape (aeolian)

Mojave desert in the future

NE: flash flooding and erratic fluvial outbursts
Wind will dominate
SW: wind will dominate

Location of Mojave Desert

South eastern california and southern nevada. Smallest and driest desert in the USA

Climate in the Mojave Desert

50mm/year of rainfall (average)
Temperatures seasonal avg 31˚C in summer and 20˚C in winter
NE has water from the Sierra Nevada snow melt
20˚C diurnal range

Landforms of the NE of Mojave desert

Alluvial fans
Wadi canyon
Pediment with inselbergs

Landforms of SW of Mojave desert

Sand dues- star, barchan
Playas

Aridity of Mojave

Both arid but SW could be classified as hyper arid

Causes of aridity in NE

Rain shadow effect reason for the dryness
Global atmospheric circulation is the reason for the location

Causes of aridity in SW

California cold ocean currants and northern winds pick up NE sediment and deposits it in SW dunes reason for the dryness
Global atmospheric circulation reason for the location

Soils in NE of Mojave desert

Aridisols: sierozems -Vegetation can grow
Moisture available
Semi arid, water dominant and dramatic land scapes

Soils in SW of Mojave desert

Aridisols: raw mineral soils - no organic matter, hyper arid

Vegetation of NE Mojave desert

Creosote bush phretaphytes- Long roots, store water
Xerophytes- stores all liquid in leaves

Mojave desert in the past

Formed from volcanic activity
Area covered with lakes
Water and tectonics shaped the Mojave

Mojave desert in the present

NE: Fluvial is important (episodic) - depends on snow melt
SW: wind is most important in shaping the landscape (aeolian)

Mojave desert in the future

NE: flash flooding and erratic fluvial outbursts
Wind will dominate
SW: wind will dominate