How to tell the direction in the desert?

First, use instruments to determine the direction.

Using compass and map to mark the direction is a common method in early desert exploration. This method first needs to know its own position, calibrate the position and orientation of the target area according to the map, and then drive according to the direction indicated by the compass.

Because it is impossible to travel in a straight line in the desert, it is necessary to constantly correct the position when using this method, otherwise it is difficult to achieve the predetermined goal. In the long-distance desert exploration and crossing, it is very difficult to reach the destination accurately or find precast supplies in the vast sand sea. At present, almost all desert explorations use GPS navigation.

Second, use natural features to determine the direction.

(1) Use Polaris to determine the direction. Polaris is a bright star in the sky due north. If you find Polaris at night, you will find due north. Polaris is the A star of Ursa minor, and Ursa major (mainly the Big Dipper) and Empress Fairy are located on both sides of Polaris. China is located in the northern hemisphere, and Polaris can be seen at night all year round.

(2) Using the sun to determine the direction is the most reliable "compass". The sun moves from east to west and the shadow moves from west to east.

For example, in the desert in western China, in the morning, the sun rises in the east, and the shadows of all objects fall to the west. At noon, the sun is due to the south and the shadow points to the north. In the afternoon, the sun is due to the west and the shadow points to the east.

Uygur camel workers who have lived around the Taklimakan desert for generations have walked in the desert in this way and will never get lost. Of course, there are some more accurate methods to determine the direction, such as "immediate" method and watch judgment method, which are very useful in desert exploration.

(3) The sand dune direction is an important factor to judge the wind direction. In the northwest, due to the prevailing northwest wind, sand dunes generally form southeast direction, and the northwest direction of sand dunes is windward, with small slope and hard sand. Southeast leeward, steep slope, soft sand.

In addition, plants in the desert, such as willow, Haloxylon ammodendron and camel thorn, are inclined to the southeast. However, it should be noted here that the above are the general characteristics of desert areas. The wind direction in different areas is different, and the direction of sand dunes is also different. To make a correct judgment, we must master the meteorology and landform of the target area in advance.

Determine the direction of this field:

1, independent trees usually have lush branches in the south, smooth bark, sparse branches in the north and rough bark. The south is usually dense with grass, while the north is wet and covered with moss.

2. For buildings and mounds, the snow in the north melts slowly, but it is the opposite in sunken places such as pits.

3. In China, if there is snow in the valley, the first side of the mountain melting snow is the sunny slope (the slope facing south), and the other side is the opposite.

4. Most of the large temples in the north of China, pagodas in plain areas and independent houses in rural areas face south.

The satellite antennas in rural areas of China are all facing south (the earth's artificial satellites are all close to the equator, so it is possible to find signals only when the satellite antennas are facing the satellites, while most parts of China are north of the equator. )

6. The rivers in China generally flow from west to east, and the direction can generally be determined.

7. The grass is dense on the northern edge of the glade. The annual rings on the cross section of the stump are generally separated in the south and smaller in the north.