Abstract
The Cordillera Central in the Dominican Republic, island of Hispaniola, exceeds 3,000 m in height. Schubert and Medina (1982) identified possible relict glacial geomorphic features on air photographs. Modern mid-elevation lapse rates of -8.50C km-1 yield plausible paleo-snowlines below peak elevations with sea-surface temperature depressions between 2' and 8 'C, although paleo-dynamics of the tradewind inversion may be more important. This paper reports results of initial field reconnais- sance during 1996. In addition to surfaces interpreted as modern and as Tertiary relicts, there are also features that post-date sur- faces of postulated Tertiary age yet are unexplained by modern processes. These include diamictons, cirque-like depressions, in- cised alluvial fans, block fields, and debris lobes (interpreted by Schubert and Medina, 1982, as solifluction remnants). It is concluded that the climate of Hispaniola has not been complacent during the Quaternary because the present climatic state can- not explain the observed landscape.
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