This is a actually great way to breakup old tree stumps (if digging it out or picking it up isn't desirable).

Take a cordless drill and a large diameter bit, drill a bunch of holes in it, and pour some water in the night before single digit temps.

It's possible, when the water in the tree freeze, it can burst the log- Mot really an explosion but destroy the tree, similar to a pipe filled with water which can also break in a cold winter.