What will Jamaica look like in the future?

        Jamaica is a karst landscape which was built by the erosion and chemical dissolution of   limestone. Through out the formation of Jamaica's cockpit country the landscape continued to erode forming several cockpits, as well as caves. Cockpit country has been formed though several years of these various processes of erosion, and therefor shouldn't stop any time soon. 

(map of cockpit country)

Thus, I believe that since Jamaica has been subject to consistent weathering, it will only continue. As the weathering continues, the cockpits continue to erode, which is caused by water gathering momentum downhill carrying debris, which will eventually be carried out to sea via sink holes.

(Sink Holes)

 The annual debris runoff will consistently wear down this karst landscape eventually collapsing caves, weathering down the hills, as well as instances of mass wasting events though out the Jamaican landscape. 

(cave and sink hole formations)

Comparable to the massive land slide like the one at judgement cliff. These massive wasting events will only continue to occur and only further advance the eroding process. 

(judgment Cliff landslide)

Jamaica is a highly marketable tourist attraction, primarily for its natural beauty, and local beaches. Thus some of the most immediately felt damages will be at the dealt by the waves along the coast line. 

(cliff houses Jamaica)

These waves will beat down the coastal cliffs, thus forming wave cut notches, which will expand until the withstanding weight is to much for the foundation to hold. Thus, peeling back the coastline, while leaving a barrier to surround the remainder of the island, thus transforming modern day Jamaica into a future barrier island.

(Barrier Island Formations)

 However this theory could be completely dismantled based upon the behavior of the plate tectonics. 

(Plate Layout)

Based on the fact that Jamaica was formed by a volcanic arch much like the majority of islands, we know that Jamaica resides within a tectonically active area, therefore Jamaica’s fate could be dramatically shifted by a possible devastating earth quake much like the recent episode in the neighboring island of Haiti. Which would have a instant effect on the population of Jamaica and reshape the geological landscape immediately. 

Climate and Hurricanes of Jamaica

Jamaica in its entirety posses a climate consisting of Af, as well as Am. Meaning Jamaica possesses a equatorial fully humid climate as well as equatorial monsoonal climate.

(Koeppen Classification System)

Based upon this existing climate type Jamaica is subject to a large amount of annual rainfall as well as a fairly consistent temperature reading, maintaining average temperatures within 28-31 degrees Celsius or  80-90 degrees fahrenheit. This also displays the fact due to Jamaica's location it is not often exposed to draught or many cold fronts.       

(Temperature/Precipitation Chart)

Jamaica is also located in the heart of a Maritime Tropical Air Mass, this air mass is a major influence on Jamaica's climate affecting, overall temperature as well as precipitation levels. 

(depiction of various air masses)

Based on Jamaica's location, it is often subject to the lingering threat of hurricanes as well as other tropical storms. Hurricanes are created via a strong Coriolis Effect which is typically formed at latitudes varying from 5 to 20 degrees away from the equator, very few changes in wind speed as well as wind direction,  hurricanes also  require a high sea surface temperature as well as an abundance of water vapor at low levels, a convergence in trade winds, also easterly waves commonly spark hurricanes within areas of low pressure. 

(Hurricane Ivan)
As you can see Jamaica's climate exists in all of the above elements to form these storms and therefor are no strangers to these threats. Some of the most notable storms to hit Jamaica are hurricanes, Dean, Ivan, Charlie, etc.

(Satellite image of hurricane Ivan)

(Boats mangled by hurricane Ivan)

http://www.all-jamaica.com/jamaica/climate.html

http://clasfaculty.ucdenver.edu/callen/1202/Climate/PressureWind/PressureWind.html

http://www.jamaicans.com/tourist/overview/climate.shtml

http://clasfaculty.ucdenver.edu/callen/1202/Climate/Cyclones/FrontsCyclones.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Hurricanes_in_Jamaica

http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/jamaica/

Cockpit Country

Jamaica is undeniably filled with many captivating landscapes formed through years of various transformations, and processes. One of the most renowned forms that is located in Jamaica is cockpit country. Which is located in the north west region of Jamaica.

(Cockpit Country shown highlighted in green)

Cockpit Country is well known due to its defining features which consist of rolling peaks which are distinctively round, as well as its deep depressions which are comparable to a bowl. 

(Cockpit country from a cockpit)

These mistic rolling hills of vegetation are also home to nearly three hundred caves, including one cave known as the Windsor cave 

(Inside the Windsor Cave)

So how where these landforms erected? Well many years ago when Jamaica was first being formed cockpit country was a large limestone plateau erected from the sea. This plateau had many existing cracks and fissures on the surface, which fallowed by several hundreds of years of annual rainfall resulted in eroding and weathering, thus sculpting the amazing landform. As well as the landforms found within.

Sources:

http://www.cockpitcountry.com/Formation%20of%20cockpits.html

http://www.jpat-jm.com/virtour/cockpit/cockpit.html

Building Jamaica

Jamaica is an island which resides on the Caribbean plate, specifically in the northern region. This plate is located between the North American plate, Cocos plate, Nazca plate, as well as the South American plate.

Thus the formation of this island is attributed to various processes and phases of convergence and subduction, primarily between the Caribbean plate and the North American plate. These phases of convergence lead to the formation, rising, and faulting of mountains and plateaus.

 (For instance the beautiful Blue Mountains)

(As well as Cockpit Country)

The Island was built by active volcanos, in what is known as an island arc, which is a chain of volcanic islands, formed in the overriding tectonic plates of subduction zones as the result of rising magma from the down moving plate. ( As illustrated below)

Jamaica contains a wide spectrum of rock. Primarily, Western Jamaica is made of Limestone, which is a biologic sedimentary rock, which consists of coral, shells, skeletons,etc. As well as various other sedimentary rocks, this is logical seeing that this island was formed from the ocean floor up. However, Eastern Jamaica is made up of primarily volcanic or igneous rock due to the location of volcanic activity, these processes come together and, thus Jamaica is born!!!

Sources:
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=16256.0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Jamaica
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/island+arc
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~lsschlei/CoolGeologyLinks/Tectonics_Website/ScotiaArc.htm

Jamaica

Hello everyone, my name is Joe Gonzales and I will be updating this blog.

Jamaica is the home of one of the most inspiring men of all time, Bob Marley. He is a man and musician that is cherished and loved by many including myself. He has inspired me to love the life I live and find the good within all. Jamaica is home to an awe inspiring landscape which is coveted by locals and vacationers alike, and is undoubtably home to many breath taking views. I chose this location so I can personally analyze the natural beauty of this nation, and learn something on the way.

-One Love