Re: Flood Coal (No. 2)

Arthur V. Chadwick (chadwicka@swac.edu)
Thu, 30 Oct 1997 09:43:50 -0800

At 10:44 PM 10/29/97 -0600, Bill wrote:
>We're not communicating, Glenn. Polystrate trees I have observed do not
>have dirt or roots attached. I have a photo of a tree trunk mentioned in
>my paper which was sheared off above the roots, and yet it was buried
>vertically. If this violates one of the laws of thermodymanics, then I'm
>really sorry, but the tree trunk was there, with no roots. I suspect
>that the trees buried by the Mississippi River floods had their roots
>buried along with the trunks. Or do you think that the roots rot but the
>trunks are preserved?

I think Harold Coffin has established beyond doubt (and Spirit Lake has
substantiated) that trunks of trees can and do become buried in upright
habit, with or without attached roots or soil. He has published several
articles on this work. THis is the currently accepted explanation for many
of the upright trees in the Yellowstone Fossil Forests.
Art
http://chadwicka.swau.edu