[muawiyah]

Now, look down the road a couple of centuries to a time when there is no permafrost in the area and hurricanes regularly sweep up the Gulf of Alaska to laywaste Alaskan coastal areas ~ think of what those polygons are going to look like.

[RightWhale]

When the permafrost melts the land sinks and fills with water. Then the water fills with vegetation and eventually it becomes dry land again. The formation remains so you can see how it came about. Lots of low grade peat around here. We have examples of all stages of permafrost activity including pingos. Fascinating to watch and it changes fast enough to actually see it happen.

[uglybiker]

Now, look down the road a couple of centuries to a time when there is no permafrost in the area ...

First you have to have permafrost.

There is no evidence of such on the coastal plain of the Carolinas.