The state of Chile in its form is perhaps the most amazing in the world. It is narrow and long, stretching from North to South for thousands of kilometers. Moreover, this narrow strip, which is located along the Pacific Ocean, has the most unusual landscapes in the world. It is here that the driest desert in the world is located - Atacama. This miracle of nature appeared here millions of years ago. But the main mystery to all researchers remains the reason why this devastated area formed between the mountains and the ocean. Below we will consider the main geographical objects that contributed to the formation of the Atacama Desert, as well as trace its history and features.
Description of the area
Atacama is considered the greatest desert on the continent of South America. In addition, in comparison with other similar natural zones of the world, this one has the driest climate, as well as the longest history of origin. If the wasteland in Antarctica originated about 10 million years ago, then in this area the earth has been blown by the winds for 40 million years. However, the landscapes that we meet in this region of Chile cannot be compared with Namibia or the Sahara. There is not so much sand here, the soil is presented in the form of hardened rocks of various types, stones and clay. In Akatama you can also find small cliffs that divide this area into valleys. The most arid among them is Lunar. Here, the land is generally sterile, and no precipitation has occurred for 400 years. On the shores of the Pacific Ocean there are ports and small cities, where a total of about 5 million people live.
America's Prehistoric Times
Reliably knowing which geographical features contributed to the formation of the Atacama Desert is impossible, since there are no written reports about this. It is likely that until the onset of global catastrophes, which led to a shift in lithospheric plates, there was quite a flourishing area and a beautiful coast, against which the waves of the ocean were beating. However, we know that after the western coast of modern Chile was almost completely empty, the Indians settled there. This is evidenced by the remains of their bodies, which in conditions of constant dryness and winds turned into mummies and practically did not rot.
What conclusion did scientists come to
According to scientists of our time, the geographical objects that contributed to the formation of the Atacama Desert are the mountains and the ocean that surround this area. It is paradoxical that natural zones so humid in their climate surround the most arid territory of our planet. In fact, there are understandable reasons for this, which we will discuss in detail below. But first it is worth noting that scientists have come to this conclusion only recently. Previously, this territory remained untouched, and no one even thought about it. Well, the geographical objects that contributed to the formation of the Atacama Desert are the peaks of the Andes and the cold current of the Pacific Ocean.
Mountain ranges
In the east, the desert zone is fenced off from the entire continent by the Andes Mountains. Their height is very high, because many cyclones and even simple clouds do not pass through these peaks. All precipitation that forms over the main part of the continent falls in the form of rain in Brazil and in the countries adjacent to it. In the Andes, they turn into snow, and simply do not fall to the west of the coast. Many scholars believe that the formation of the Atacama Desert was facilitated by the emergence of this mountain range, which, in turn, has been tens of millions of years old. By the way, all the precipitation that forms over the continent and manages to irrigate the land before crossing the Andes, fill the Amazon. That is why it is the deepest river in the world.
Ocean waters
Also, the formation of the Atacama Desert contributes to the Pacific Ocean itself, on the coast of which it is located. It is along the coast of Chile and Peru that the cold Humboldt Current passes here, which follows from Antarctica. For given latitudes, such water temperatures can be said to be unacceptable. For this reason, any wind that blows from the ocean, even the warmest, passing through this zone, cools down and already becomes unable to form any precipitation. This phenomenon is often called a rain shadow, when there seems to be a chance of rain, but at the same time it does not happen and will never happen.
Conclusion
Paradoxically, the geographical features that contributed to the formation of the Atacama Desert are mountains and the ocean. They are sources of moisture for any region, but in this case, one can say, a natural anomaly has developed . Mountains have become an obstacle for clouds carrying rain and snow in this area. And the cold ocean, which has a very low temperature due to the glaciers of Antarctica, does not allow evaporating drops of moisture to turn into clouds and become a source of rain in Atacama. This vicious circle in these territories began about 40 million years ago, and so far the climate and weather conditions in the desert have not changed at all.