Once located closer to the equator
The discovery of coal deposits in both England and Antarctica supported Wegener's theory of continental drift by providing evidence that these regions were once connected in a single landmass, known as Pangaea. The presence of similar coal deposits across these distant locations suggested that they were once part of the same continent and had drifted apart over time.
Coal is found in Antarctica because millions of years ago, when the continent was covered in lush vegetation, plant material accumulated and was eventually buried under sediment. Over time, the pressure and heat transformed the plant material into coal deposits.
The coal found in Antarctica likely formed during a time when the continent was situated further north within a warmer climate, allowing for the formation of coal beds in swamps. Over millions of years, tectonic movements and continental drift caused Antarctica to move to its current position near the South Pole, preserving the coal deposits beneath the ice.
When Antarctica was still a part of the super continent Gondwana, it was covered in forests and had warm coastal currents on its shores. As Antarctica separated from Gondwana and moved south, the waters cooled, the temperatures dropped, the forests disppeared, the land was covered in snow which was compacted into ice over time, all combining to create coal deposits.
The coal deposits in Antarctica are believed to have formed during periods when the continent had a significantly warmer climate due to its positioning on the Earth's surface millions of years ago. These deposits are remnants of lush vegetation that thrived in a milder climate before Antarctica became the frozen landscape we see today due to continental drift and changes in Earth's climate.
Coal deposits near the South Pole formed when the continent of Antarctica was located much further north and had a temperate climate, allowing for the growth of lush forests and plants. Over time, these plant materials were buried and compressed, forming coal deposits that are now exposed near the South Pole due to plate tectonics and continental drift.
Coal mining is banned in Antarctica because it was very bad for the environment. The Madrid Protocol was an agreement by all countries not to mine coal in Antarctica.
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Alfred Wegener used climate evidence to support his hypothesis of continental drift by analyzing the distribution of coal deposits, glacial deposits, and tropical plant fossils across different continents. For instance, he noted that coal deposits in North America and Europe indicated a warm, tropical climate, suggesting these landmasses were once closer to the equator. Conversely, glacial deposits found in currently warm regions like India and South America indicated that these areas had once been situated near the poles. This climate evidence helped demonstrate that continents have shifted over geological time, supporting Wegener's theory of continental drift.
The coal deposits in Antarctica are explained by Pangaea where Antarctica was located next to South America, Africa, Australia, and India.
It is the highest, driest, windiest, darkest, coldest and iciest continent on earth. It is governed by an international treaty, the Antarctic Treaty. Antarctica, per se, is a condominium.
Wegener would have considered the presence of coal in Pennsylvania as evidence of continental drift because coal forms from the remains of ancient plants, which typically grow in swampy environments. The presence of coal in Pennsylvania suggests that the region was once located in a different climate zone, which aligns with the idea of continents moving over time. This supports Wegener's theory of continental drift, which proposed that the continents were once connected and have since moved apart.