Description:

The phenomenon of mirages in desert regions is caused by the refraction of light.

In deserts, the air near the ground can become significantly hotter than the air above it due to intense sunlight heating the sand or rock surface. This creates a gradient of temperatures, and since hot air is less dense than cooler air, the density of the air changes with height. Light travels at slightly different speeds through air of varying densities, bending as it moves from one layer to another—a process known as refraction.

When light from the sky or distant objects bends upward toward an observer’s eyes, it can create the illusion of water on the ground (an inferior mirage), as the brain interprets the refracted light as a reflection off a surface, like a pool or lake. Another type, the superior mirage, can occur when cooler air is trapped below warmer air, bending light downward and making distant objects appear elevated or distorted.

Lunar gravity and ozone depletion don’t play a role in this optical effect. It’s purely a result of how light interacts with the atmosphere under specific temperature conditions.