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 ].
Semi-arid deserts frequently resemble
[ steppes ]. However, they are much more like
[ arid deserts ] inasmuch as they experience long, dry summers and receive only a little rain during the winters — although the low rainfall is due more to the presence of mountains, which produce a
rainshadow effect, than to a general lack of atmospheric moisture.
Higher humidity ensures that semi-arid deserts do not get quite so hot during the days, nor so cold during the nights, as
[ arid deserts ]. The combination of atmospheric moisture, warm days and cool nights promotes the formation of dew, which often provides as much water as the annual rainfall — and, in some cases, more.
The soil in semi-arid deserts can range from sandy and fine-textured to loose rock fragments, gravel or sand. Typically there is little or no sub-surface water.
Where vegetation exists, it is usually highly specialised. Typically, leaves are replete and exhibit water-conserving characteristics, such as small size, reduced surface area and a thick, reflective cuticle. Canopy is extremely rare; cacti, dwarf trees, grasses, succulents, wildflowers and woody shrubs predominate.
Diminished cover in semi-arid deserts presents several 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 semi-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.
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 semi-arid desert digital camouflage patterns have been derived from computer-aided analyses of colour satellite photographs; the Semi-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.
