>Even if every coal was formed by a floating mat, that is not evidence
FOR a
>global flood. If floating mats occur in swamps today, as they do in the
>Okefenokee, then floating mats are clearly a natural phenomenon which
does
>not require a global flood to form. Thus there is no causal connection
>between floating mats and a flooded earth.
>>> to which Bill replies in note of Mon, 30 Aug 1999 02:12:46 -0600
I agree that there is no causal connection between the floating mats of
the Okefenokee and a global flood. What you are missing is the fact that
there is no empirical connection between the floating mats of the
Okefenokee and Carboniferous coals. You are under the impression that
all floating mats are alike; you are mistaken. There is no way that you
could get the Okefenokee deposits to look like Pennsylvanian coal seams.
As you admitted, you have no explanation within your Okefenokee model
for the partings which are ubiquitous in coals.
>>>>>
What is missing in this discussion is more than a superficial
understanding of the work done on these swamps. Cohen has perhaps done
more work than anyone on modern peat and much of it has been on the peat
of the Okefenokee. Yes now we think the tropical swamps of some of the
Malaysian islands are more appropriate models, but their peat has not
been studied in the same way. We really need to have folks talking with
a better understanding of Cohen's work or if you want a model that is
really appropriate to coal look at coal petrography of the Pennsylvanian
coals and Richard Winston's work comparing coal petrography to
fossilized peat in coal balls. That would be a very direct comparison.
Sorry about that, but there is a lot more work out there that gives us
lots of data about coal formation that should be in any model of coal
formation.
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