How does Heat cause heat distortions, like you see in deserts and such?

Question

Title says it all basically.

Thanks for the amazing answers

In: Earth Science

Answer 1

Ground hot; air less so. Ground heats air. Air must rise, cooler air must fall to take its place. This causes chaotic motion between the hot and cold air, forming moving streams of the two. Hot air allows light to travel faster than cold air, and so the light bends when passing between the two, forming a shimmering effect which can be vaguely similar to what light does when it goes into a pool and gets refracted by the waves.