When the ground is too hot, the air near it is also hot, therefore less dense, and has a different refraction index than the air on top of it, that is colder, so the light ray bouncing from an object and going in the direction of the ground, instead of going in a straight line ends up curving upside, giving the ilusion to our eyes that the image is forming below the ground (a.k.a mirror on the ground). You need to be at a certain distance, that’s why when you move closer the illusion disapears in front of you but is created further (the “mirror illusion” moves with you).
The fact that the air is a bit turbulent (because of the high temperature near the ground), it makes the image seems “shaky” (like it was a reflection from water), that’s what a mirage is.
An image may help you understand what is going on: [https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSkbX88DLoHADPOot9z6Kz6lL2KU05Y4gWkyHrjiGoEa0eZOeentzvibyMJP5SHrg93Fb4&usqp=CAU](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSkbX88DLoHADPOot9z6Kz6lL2KU05Y4gWkyHrjiGoEa0eZOeentzvibyMJP5SHrg93Fb4&usqp=CAU)
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