click images for more information
|
|
|
|
Nineteen per cent of the world's terrestrial surface can be classified as
desert. This type of terrain occurs wherever the annual precipitation is less than 50cm (20in.). There are several types of desert, including
[ arid ] and
[ semi-arid ].
In the case of arid deserts, the seasons are generally warm throughout the year. The summers are very hot. The winters usually see some rainfall, although it is either very little or intense but infrequent. Either way, the rate of evaporation tends to exceed the rate of rainfall. Virga is a common meteorological phenomenon.
Since there is little humidity to mitigate infrared radiation from the sun, arid deserts receive about twice as much incident heat, during the days, as humid regions. For the same reason, arid deserts lose about twice as much heat during the nights. As a result, daytime temperatures are extremely high and nighttime temperatures can drop to well below freezing.
The soil in arid deserts is usually shallow and has a coarse texture. Arid deserts are frequently rocky or gravelly because the finer dust and sand are blown away, leaving only the heavier particles. Typically there is little or no sub-surface water.
Where vegetation exists, it is usually highly specialised. Leaves are often replete and exhibit water-conserving characteristics, such as small size, reduced surface area and a thick, reflective cuticle. Canopy is extremely rare; grasses, ground-hugging shrubs and short, woody trees predominate.
The lack of cover in arid deserts presents significant challenges for designers of camouflage uniforms. For one thing, the tactical ranges involved in desert fighting can be much longer. For another, the general absence of shade necessitates a modified approach to the implementation of macropatterns.
The macropatterns used for Roggenwolf arid desert digital camouflage patterns are either horizontally-aligned or omnidirectional with a bias toward horizontality, to disrupt the geometry of the human shape at longer ranges. Typically the contrasts between the elements is also reduced, to avoid the appearance of ‘suspicious’ shadows.
Still, a well-devised macropattern can do only so much; the choice and arrangement of colours is also important. If the colours displayed in a camouflage pattern differ too much from the colours present in the immediate surroundings, the target shape can still be discerned and successful recognition shall occur.
Appropriate colours help a camouflage pattern to blend with its surroundings. In some cases, the colours displayed in Roggenwolf arid desert digital camouflage patterns have been derived from computer-aided analyses of colour satellite photographs; the Arid Regions 4.1 palette is illustrated on this page. Alternatively, more localised palettes may be created, to match specific tactical settings, through computer-aided analyses of ground-level photographs.
notice: All materials, including photos, camouflage patterns, simulations and text embodied within the pages of this Web site are the property of their respective copyright holders and may not be used elsewhere without explicit written permission from the copyright holder.
All original camouflage patterns and simulations shown on this Web site are copyright © 2005–2006
[ Brad Turner ]. All rights reserved.
