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An oasis is a fertile area in a desert where water is available, usually from underground springs. The presence of water supports vegetation and often creates a habitat for animals.

An alluvial fan is a fan-shaped deposit formed where a fast flowing stream flattens, slows, and spreads typically at the exit of a canyon onto a flatter plain. Sediments are deposited as the stream loses energy.

Mesas and buttes are isolated flat-topped hills with steep sides that are found in arid to semi-arid desert environments. They are formed by the erosion of sedimentary rocks, leaving a layer resistant to erosion on top.

Desert varnish is a dark, shiny coating found on exposed rock surfaces in arid areas. It is composed of clay minerals mixed with iron and manganese oxides, formed over thousands of years.

A sandstorm is a strong wind in desert regions that carries sand particles into the air, reducing visibility and potentially reshaping the landscape. Sandstorms are caused by intense wind disturbances.

A playa is a dry, vegetation-free, flat area at the lowest part of an undrained desert basin, where water evaporates quickly. Playas form when water from rain or streams evaporates, leaving behind sediment and salts.

Salt flats are flat expanses of ground covered with salt and other minerals, usually in desert regions. They are formed where water has evaporated from a body of water, leaving a crust of salt and minerals.

A dune is a hill of loose sand built by aeolian processes or the flow of water. Dunes are formed from the wind's ability to move sand and typically occur in desert environments where sand is plentiful.

Desert pavement is a surface of a desert covered with closely packed, interlocking angular or rounded rock fragments. It is formed through the gradual removal of sand, dust and other fine-grained material by the wind and occasional rain.