1
|
Heaton TJ, Bard E, Bayliss A, Blaauw M, Bronk Ramsey C, Reimer PJ, Turney CSM, Usoskin I. Extreme solar storms and the quest for exact dating with radiocarbon. Nature 2024; 633:306-317. [PMID: 39261612 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07679-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
Radiocarbon (14C) is essential for creating chronologies to study the timings and drivers of pivotal events in human history and the Earth system over the past 55,000 years. It is also a fundamental proxy for investigating solar processes, including the potential of the Sun for extreme activity. Until now, fluctuations in past atmospheric 14C levels have limited the dating precision possible using radiocarbon. However, the discovery of solar super-storms known as extreme solar particle events (ESPEs) has driven a series of advances with the potential to transform the calendar-age precision of radiocarbon dating. Organic materials containing unique 14C ESPE signatures can now be dated to annual precision. In parallel, the search for further storms using high-precision annual 14C measurements has revealed fine-scaled variations that can be used to improve calendar-age precision, even in periods that lack ESPEs. Furthermore, the newly identified 14C fluctuations provide unprecedented insight into solar variability and the carbon cycle. Here, we review the current state of knowledge and share our insights into these rapidly developing, diverse research fields. We identify links between radiocarbon, archaeology, solar physics and Earth science to stimulate transdisciplinary collaboration, and we propose how researchers can take advantage of these recent developments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T J Heaton
- Department of Statistics, School of Mathematics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | - E Bard
- CEREGE, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Collège de France, Technopole de l'Arbois BP 80, Aix en Provence Cedex 4, France
| | | | - M Blaauw
- The ¹⁴CHRONO Centre for Climate, the Environment and Chronology, Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - C Bronk Ramsey
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - P J Reimer
- The ¹⁴CHRONO Centre for Climate, the Environment and Chronology, Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - C S M Turney
- Institute of Sustainable Futures, Division of Research, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
- Chronos ¹⁴Carbon-Cycle Facility, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - I Usoskin
- Space Physics and Astronomy Research Unit and Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Panyushkina IP, Jull AJT, Molnár M, Varga T, Kontul’ I, Hantemirov R, Kukarskih V, Sljusarenko I, Myglan V, Livina V. The timing of the ca-660 BCE Miyake solar-proton event constrained to between 664 and 663 BCE. COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT 2024; 5:454. [PMID: 39185327 PMCID: PMC11343717 DOI: 10.1038/s43247-024-01618-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Extreme solar energetic particle events, known as Miyake events, are rare phenomena observed by cosmogenic isotopes, with only six documented. The timing of the ca. 660 BCE Miyake event remains undefined until now. Here, we assign its occurrence to 664-663 BCE through new radiocarbon measurements in gymnosperm larch tree rings from arctic-alpine biomes (Yamal and Altai). Using a 22-box carbon cycle model and Bayesian statistics, we calculate the radiocarbon production rate during the event that is 3.2-4.8 times higher than the average solar modulation, and comparable to the 774-775 CE solar-proton event. The prolonged radiocarbon signature manifests a 12‰ rise over two years. The non-uniform signal in the tree rings is likely driven by the low rate of CO2 gas exchange between the trees and the ambient atmosphere, and the high residence time of radiocarbon in the post-event stratosphere. We caution about using the event's pronounced signature for precise single-year-dating.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - A. J. Timothy Jull
- Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA
- Isotope Climatology and Environmental Research Centre, Institute for Nuclear Research, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Mihaly Molnár
- Isotope Climatology and Environmental Research Centre, Institute for Nuclear Research, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Tamás Varga
- Isotope Climatology and Environmental Research Centre, Institute for Nuclear Research, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Ivan Kontul’
- Department of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Rashit Hantemirov
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology UB RAS, Yekaterinburg, Russia
- Ural Institute of Humanities, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Vladymir Kukarskih
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology UB RAS, Yekaterinburg, Russia
- Ural Institute of Humanities, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Igor Sljusarenko
- Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Vladymir Myglan
- School for the Humanities, Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Valerie Livina
- Data Science Department, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Churakova Sidorova OV, Siegwolf RTW, Zharkov MS, Saurer M. Dual carbon and oxygen isotopes in Siberian tree rings as indicator of millennia sunshine duration changes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172042. [PMID: 38554976 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The current lack of information on past summer sunshine duration variability from annually resolved palaeoclimatological archives is hindering progress in the understanding and modelling of the earth climate system. We show that a combination of tree-ring carbon and oxygen isotopes from Siberia provides robust information on summer sunshine duration, which we use for an annual 1505-year reconstruction of July sunshine duration variability (1,5K-SIB-JSDR). We found that the Medieval maximum is 56 % higher than the average over 1505 years. Rapid and drastic decreases in sunshine duration up to 60 % correspond to major stratospheric volcanic eruptions. Grand Solar Minima and total sunspot numbers are also well preserved in the 1,5K-SIB-JSDR. Coherency with a global air temperature composite and spring Arctic Oscillation indicate that a large-scale climate signal is retained in our sunshine reconstruction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olga V Churakova Sidorova
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
| | - Rolf T W Siegwolf
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Mikhail S Zharkov
- Siberian Federal University Krasnoyarsk, 660041 Svobodny 79, Russian Federation
| | - Matthias Saurer
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Maczkowski A, Pearson C, Francuz J, Giagkoulis T, Szidat S, Wacker L, Bolliger M, Kotsakis K, Hafner A. Absolute dating of the European Neolithic using the 5259 BC rapid 14C excursion. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4263. [PMID: 38769301 PMCID: PMC11106086 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48402-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Abrupt radiocarbon (14C) excursions, or Miyake events, in sequences of radiocarbon measurements from calendar-dated tree-rings provide opportunities to assign absolute calendar dates to undated wood samples from contexts across history and prehistory. Here, we report a tree-ring and 14C-dating study of the Neolithic site of Dispilio, Northern Greece, a waterlogged archaeological site on Lake Kastoria. Findings secure an absolute, calendar-dated time using the 5259 BC Miyake event, with the final ring of the 303-year-long juniper tree-ring chronology dating to 5140 BC. While other sites have been absolutely dated to a calendar year through 14C-signature Miyake events, Dispilio is the first European Neolithic site of these and it provides a fixed, calendar-year anchor point for regional chronologies of the Neolithic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Maczkowski
- Institute of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Charlotte Pearson
- Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
| | - John Francuz
- Institute of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tryfon Giagkoulis
- School of History and Archaeology, University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sönke Szidat
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Wacker
- Laboratory for Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Bolliger
- Institute of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Dendrochronology, Archaeological Service of Canton of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kostas Kotsakis
- School of History and Archaeology, University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Albert Hafner
- Institute of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Black BA, Pearl JK, Pearson CL, Pringle PT, Frank DC, Page MT, Buckley BM, Cook ER, Harley GL, King KJ, Hughes JF, Reynolds DJ, Sherrod BL. A multifault earthquake threat for the Seattle metropolitan region revealed by mass tree mortality. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh4973. [PMID: 37756412 PMCID: PMC10530078 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh4973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Compound earthquakes involving simultaneous ruptures along multiple faults often define a region's upper threshold of maximum magnitude. Yet, the potential for linked faulting remains poorly understood given the infrequency of these events in the historic era. Geological records provide longer perspectives, although temporal uncertainties are too broad to clearly pinpoint single multifault events. Here, we use dendrochronological dating and a cosmogenic radiation pulse to constrain the death dates of earthquake-killed trees along two adjacent fault zones near Seattle, Washington to within a 6-month period between the 923 and 924 CE growing seasons. Our narrow constraints conclusively show linked rupturing that occurred either as a single composite earthquake of estimated magnitude 7.8 or as a closely spaced double earthquake sequence with estimated magnitudes of 7.5 and 7.3. These scenarios, which are not recognized in current hazard models, increase the maximum earthquake size needed for seismic preparedness and engineering design within the Puget Sound region of >4 million residents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bryan A. Black
- Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85701, USA
| | - Jessie K. Pearl
- U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Science Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | | | | | - David C. Frank
- Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85701, USA
| | - Morgan T. Page
- U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Science Center, Pasadena, CA 91106, USA
| | - Brendan M. Buckley
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
| | - Edward R. Cook
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
| | - Grant L. Harley
- Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, USA
| | - Karen J. King
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
| | - Jonathan F. Hughes
- School of Land Use and Environmental Change, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8, Canada
| | - David J. Reynolds
- Centre for Geography and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Brian L. Sherrod
- U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Science Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Global wood anatomical perspective on the onset of the Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA) in the mid-6th century CE. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2022; 67:2336-2344. [PMID: 36546223 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2022.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Linked to major volcanic eruptions around 536 and 540 CE, the onset of the Late Antique Little Ice Age has been described as the coldest period of the past two millennia. The exact timing and spatial extent of this exceptional cold phase are, however, still under debate because of the limited resolution and geographical distribution of the available proxy archives. Here, we use 106 wood anatomical thin sections from 23 forest sites and 20 tree species in both hemispheres to search for cell-level fingerprints of ephemeral summer cooling between 530 and 550 CE. After cross-dating and double-staining, we identified 89 Blue Rings (lack of cell wall lignification), nine Frost Rings (cell deformation and collapse), and 93 Light Rings (reduced cell wall thickening) in the Northern Hemisphere. Our network reveals evidence for the strongest temperature depression between mid-July and early-August 536 CE across North America and Eurasia, whereas more localised cold spells occurred in the summers of 532, 540-43, and 548 CE. The lack of anatomical signatures in the austral trees suggests limited incursion of stratospheric volcanic aerosol into the Southern Hemisphere extra-tropics, that any forcing was mitigated by atmosphere-ocean dynamical responses and/or concentrated outside the growing season, or a combination of factors. Our findings demonstrate the advantage of wood anatomical investigations over traditional dendrochronological measurements, provide a benchmark for Earth system models, support cross-disciplinary studies into the entanglements of climate and history, and question the relevance of global climate averages.
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhang Q, Sharma U, Dennis JA, Scifo A, Kuitems M, Büntgen U, Owens MJ, Dee MW, Pope BJS. Modelling cosmic radiation events in the tree-ring radiocarbon record. Proc Math Phys Eng Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2022.0497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Annually resolved measurements of the radiocarbon content in tree-rings have revealed rare sharp rises in carbon-14 production. These ‘Miyake events’ are likely produced by rare increases in cosmic radiation from the Sun or other energetic astrophysical sources. The radiocarbon produced is not only circulated through the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans, but also absorbed by the biosphere and locked in the annual growth rings of trees. To interpret high-resolution tree-ring radiocarbon measurements therefore necessitates modelling the entire global carbon cycle. Here, we introduce ‘
ticktack
’ (
https://github.com/SharmaLlama/ticktack/
), the first open-source Python package that connects box models of the carbon cycle with modern Bayesian inference tools. We use this to analyse all public annual
14
C
tree data, and infer posterior parameters for all six known Miyake events. They do not show a consistent relationship to the solar cycle, and several display extended durations that challenge either astrophysical or geophysical models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qingyuan Zhang
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland,St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Utkarsh Sharma
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland,St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jordan A. Dennis
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland,St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Andrea Scifo
- Centre for Isotope Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Margot Kuitems
- Centre for Isotope Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ulf Büntgen
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EN, UK
- Global Change Research Institute (CzechGlobe), Czech Academy of Sciences, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
- Swiss Federal Research Institute (WSL), 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Mathew J. Owens
- Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Earley Gate,PO Box 243, Reading RG6 6BB, UK
| | - Michael W. Dee
- Centre for Isotope Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin J. S. Pope
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland,St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Centre for Astrophysics, University of Southern Queensland,West Street, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Manning SW. Second Intermediate Period date for the Thera (Santorini) eruption and historical implications. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274835. [PMID: 36126026 PMCID: PMC9488803 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The historical relevance of the Thera (Santorini) volcanic eruption is unclear because of major dating uncertainty. Long placed ~1500 BCE and during the Egyptian New Kingdom (starts ~1565-1540 BCE) by archaeologists, 14C pointed to dates ≥50-100 years earlier during the preceding Second Intermediate Period. Several decades of debate have followed with no clear resolution of the problem-despite wide recognition that this uncertainty undermines an ability to synchronize the civilizations of the eastern Mediterranean in the mid-second millennium BCE and write wider history. Recent work permits substantial progress. Volcanic CO2 was often blamed for the discrepancy. However, comparison of 14C dates directly associated with the eruption from contemporary Aegean contexts-both on and remote from Thera-can now remove this caveat. In turn, using Bayesian analysis, a revised and substantially refined date range for the Thera eruption can be determined, both through the integration of the large 14C dataset relevant to the Thera eruption with the local stratigraphic sequence on Thera immediately prior to the eruption, and in conjunction with the wider stratigraphically-defined Aegean archaeological sequence from before to after the eruption. This enables a robust high-resolution dating for the eruption ~1606-1589 BCE (68.3% probability), ~1609-1560 BCE (95.4% probability). This dating clarifies long-disputed synchronizations between Aegean and East Mediterranean cultures, placing the eruption during the earlier and very different Second Intermediate Period with its Canaanite-Levantine dominated world-system. This gives an importantly altered cultural and historical context for the New Palace Period on Crete and the contemporary Shaft Grave era in southern Greece. In addition, the revised dating, and a current absence of southern Aegean chronological data placed soon afterwards, highlights a period of likely devastating regional eruption impact in the earlier-mid 16th century BCE southern Aegean.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sturt W. Manning
- Cornell Tree-Ring Laboratory, Department of Classics, Cornell Institute of Archaeology and Material Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States of America
- The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wang F, Arseneault D, Boucher É, Gennaretti F, Yu S, Zhang T. Tropical volcanoes synchronize eastern Canada with Northern Hemisphere millennial temperature variability. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5042. [PMID: 36028494 PMCID: PMC9418434 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32682-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Although global and Northern Hemisphere temperature reconstructions are coherent with climate model simulations over the last millennium, reconstructed temperatures tend to diverge from simulations at smaller spatial scales. Yet, it remains unclear to what extent these regional peculiarities reflect region-specific internal climate variability or inadequate proxy coverage and quality. Here, we present a high-quality, millennial-long summer temperature reconstruction for northeastern North America, based on maximum latewood density, the most temperature-sensitive tree-ring proxy. Our reconstruction shows that a large majority (31 out of 44) of the coldest extremes can be attributed to explosive volcanic eruptions, with more persistent cooling following large tropical than extratropical events. These forced climate variations synchronize regional summer temperatures with hemispheric reconstructions and simulations at the multidecadal time scale. Our study highlights that tropical volcanism is the major driver of multidecadal temperature variations across spatial scales. A maximum latewood density based summer temperature reconstruction from eastern Canada shows recent warming is unprecedented over 1246 years, and tropical volcanism synchronizes regional and hemispheric summer temperatures at the multidecadal time scale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada. .,Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Québec, QC, G1K 9A9, Canada.
| | - Dominique Arseneault
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Étienne Boucher
- Département de Géographie, GEOTOP, and Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, H2X 3R9, Canada
| | - Fabio Gennaretti
- Institut de Recherche sur les Forêts, Groupe de Recherche en Écologie de la MRC-Abitibi, Centre d'Étude de la Forêt, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Amos, QC, J9T 2L8, Canada
| | - Shulong Yu
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Tree-Ring Ecology, Key Laboratory of Tree-Ring Physical and Chemical Research, Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, 830002, Urumqi, China
| | - Tongwen Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Tree-Ring Ecology, Key Laboratory of Tree-Ring Physical and Chemical Research, Institute of Desert Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, 830002, Urumqi, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Brehm N, Christl M, Knowles TDJ, Casanova E, Evershed RP, Adolphi F, Muscheler R, Synal HA, Mekhaldi F, Paleari CI, Leuschner HH, Bayliss A, Nicolussi K, Pichler T, Schlüchter C, Pearson CL, Salzer MW, Fonti P, Nievergelt D, Hantemirov R, Brown DM, Usoskin I, Wacker L. Tree-rings reveal two strong solar proton events in 7176 and 5259 BCE. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1196. [PMID: 35256613 PMCID: PMC8901681 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28804-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe Sun sporadically produces eruptive events leading to intense fluxes of solar energetic particles (SEPs) that dramatically disrupt the near-Earth radiation environment. Such events have been directly studied for the last decades but little is known about the occurrence and magnitude of rare, extreme SEP events. Presently, a few events that produced measurable signals in cosmogenic radionuclides such as 14C, 10Be and 36Cl have been found. Analyzing annual 14C concentrations in tree-rings from Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, Russia, and the USA we discovered two spikes in atmospheric 14C occurring in 7176 and 5259 BCE. The ~2% increases of atmospheric 14C recorded for both events exceed all previously known 14C peaks but after correction for the geomagnetic field, they are comparable to the largest event of this type discovered so far at 775 CE. These strong events serve as accurate time markers for the synchronization with floating tree-ring and ice core records and provide critical information on the previous occurrence of extreme solar events which may threaten modern infrastructure.
Collapse
|
11
|
Bontemps JD, Svensmark H. Diffuse sunlight and cosmic rays: Missing pieces of the forest growth change attribution puzzle? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150469. [PMID: 34563903 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Forest growth changes have been a matter of intense research efforts since the 1980s. Owing to the variety of their environmental causes - mainly atmospheric CO2 increase, atmospheric N deposition, changes in temperature and water availability, and their interactions - their interpretation has remained challenging. Recent isolated researches suggest further effects of neglected environmental factors, namely changes in the diffuse fraction of light, more efficient to photosynthesis, and galactic cosmic rays (GCR), both emphasized in this Discussion paper. With growing awareness of GCR influence on global cloudiness (the cosmoclimatologic theory by H. Svensmark), GCR may thus cause trends in diffuse-light, and distinguishing between their direct/indirect influences on forest growth remains uncertain. This link between cosmic rays and diffuse sunlight also forms an alternative explanation to the geological evidence of a negative correlation between GCR and atmospheric CO2 concentration over the past 500 Myr. After a careful scrutiny of this literature and of key contributions in the field, we draw research options to progress further in this attribution. These include i) observational strategies intending to build on differences in the spatio-temporal dynamics of environmental growth factors, ranging from quasi-experiments to meta-analyses, ii) simulation strategies intending to quantify environmental factor's effects based on process-based ecosystem modelling, in a context where progresses for accounting for diffuse-light fraction are ongoing. Also, the hunt for tree-ring based proxies of GCR may offer the perspective of testing the GCR hypothesis on fully coupled forest growth samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Henrik Svensmark
- National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Elektrovej, Building 328, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Single-year radiocarbon dating anchors Viking Age trade cycles in time. Nature 2021; 601:392-396. [PMID: 34937937 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04240-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Recent discoveries of rapid changes in the atmospheric 14C concentration linked to solar particle events have spurred the construction of new radiocarbon annual calibration datasets1-13. With these datasets, radiocarbon dating becomes relevant for urban sites, which require dates at higher resolution than previous calibration datasets could offer. Here we use a single-year radiocarbon calibration curve to anchor the archaeological stratigraphy of a Viking Age trade centre in time. We present absolutely dated evidence for artefact finds charting the expansion of long-distance trade from as far away as Arctic Norway and the Middle East, which we linked to the beginning of the Viking Age at AD 790 ± 10. The methods developed here enable human interactions and cultural, climatic and environmental changes to be compared in archaeological stratigraphies worldwide.
Collapse
|
13
|
Heaton TJ, Bard E, Bronk Ramsey C, Butzin M, Köhler P, Muscheler R, Reimer PJ, Wacker L. Radiocarbon: A key tracer for studying Earth's dynamo, climate system, carbon cycle, and Sun. Science 2021; 374:eabd7096. [PMID: 34735228 DOI: 10.1126/science.abd7096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T J Heaton
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK
| | - E Bard
- CEREGE, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Collège de France, Technopole de l'Arbois BP 80, 13545 Aix-en-Provence Cedex 4, France
| | - C Bronk Ramsey
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TG, UK
| | - M Butzin
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI), D-27515 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - P Köhler
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI), D-27515 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - R Muscheler
- Quaternary Sciences, Department of Geology, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - P J Reimer
- 14CHRONO Centre for Climate, the Environment and Chronology, School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen's University, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
| | - L Wacker
- Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Abstract
Transatlantic exploration took place centuries before the crossing of Columbus. Physical evidence for early European presence in the Americas can be found in Newfoundland, Canada1,2. However, it has thus far not been possible to determine when this activity took place3-5. Here we provide evidence that the Vikings were present in Newfoundland in AD 1021. We overcome the imprecision of previous age estimates by making use of the cosmic-ray-induced upsurge in atmospheric radiocarbon concentrations in AD 993 (ref. 6). Our new date lays down a marker for European cognisance of the Americas, and represents the first known point at which humans encircled the globe. It also provides a definitive tie point for future research into the initial consequences of transatlantic activity, such as the transference of knowledge, and the potential exchange of genetic information, biota and pathologies7,8.
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
If prehistoric and historical time were placed into the time span of the existence of our universe, then the act of archaeology could be defined as the act of digging up what was only buried yesterday. So, conservation is about preserving a moment that has just become past time, yet significant. It is a moment of human creativity and ingenuity. It is not strange that forest wood has become the material to convey such moments. Forest wood is a living, everlasting source growing without human intervention, within reach, easy to use and shape thinking both great and small. It does not have to be a wooden ship; it can be a mere piece of charcoal. For it is what surrounded humans in the past which archaeologists seek and use to weave human history, and what conservators bring back to context by reviving it. This work presents forest wood as an artefact and its preservation challenges as such. It touches on its natural degradation processes through burial, compromised properties and eventual conservation. Both dry and waterlogged wood are included. The overarching aim of this paper is to pay tribute, preserve and inspire the long-standing, open dialog and fruitful collaboration between cultural conservators and forest and wood scientists.
Collapse
|
16
|
Eder M, Schäffner W, Burgert I, Fratzl P. Wood and the Activity of Dead Tissue. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2001412. [PMID: 32748985 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202001412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Wood is a prototypical biological material, which adapts to mechanical requirements. The microarchitecture of cellulose fibrils determines the mechanical properties of woody materials, as well as their actuation properties, based on absorption and desorption of water. Herein it is argued that cellulose fiber orientation corresponds to an analog code that determines the response of wood to humidity as an active material. Examples for the harvesting of wood activity, as well as bioinspiration, are given.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Eder
- Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Biomaterials, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Schäffner
- Institute of Cultural History and Theory, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, 10117, Germany
| | - Ingo Burgert
- ETH Zürich, Wood Materials Science, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
- Empa, Cellulose & Wood Materials Laboratory, Dübendorf, 8600, Switzerland
| | - Peter Fratzl
- Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Biomaterials, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Miyake F, Panyushkina IP, Jull AJT, Adolphi F, Brehm N, Helama S, Kanzawa K, Moriya T, Muscheler R, Nicolussi K, Oinonen M, Salzer M, Takeyama M, Tokanai F, Wacker L. A Single-Year Cosmic Ray Event at 5410 BCE Registered in 14C of Tree Rings. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS 2021; 48:e2021GL093419. [PMID: 34433990 PMCID: PMC8365682 DOI: 10.1029/2021gl093419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The annual 14C data in tree rings is an outstanding proxy for uncovering extreme solar energetic particle (SEP) events in the past. Signatures of extreme SEP events have been reported in 774/775 CE, 992/993 CE, and ∼660 BCE. Here, we report another rapid increase of 14C concentration in tree rings from California, Switzerland, and Finland around 5410 BCE. These 14C data series show a significant increase of ∼6‰ in 5411-5410 BCE. The signature of 14C variation is very similar to the confirmed three SEP events and points to an extreme short-term flux of cosmic ray radiation into the atmosphere. The rapid 14C increase in 5411/5410 BCE rings occurred during a period of high solar activity and 60 years after a grand 14C excursion during 5481-5471 BCE. The similarity of our 14C data to previous events suggests that the origin of the 5410 BCE event is an extreme SEP event.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F. Miyake
- Institute for Space‐Earth Environmental ResearchNagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
| | | | - A. J. T. Jull
- Department of GeosciencesUniversity of ArizonaTucsonAZUSA
- Isotope Climatology and Environmental Research CentreInstitute for Nuclear ResearchDebrecenHungary
| | - F. Adolphi
- Alfred Wegener InstituteHelmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine ResearchBremerhavenGermany
| | - N. Brehm
- Laboratory for Ion Beam PhysicsETH ZürichZürichSwitzerland
| | - S. Helama
- Natural Resources Institute FinlandRovaniemiFinland
| | - K. Kanzawa
- Institute for Space‐Earth Environmental ResearchNagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
| | - T. Moriya
- Faculty of ScienceYamagata UniversityYamagataJapan
| | - R. Muscheler
- Department of GeologyFaculty of ScienceLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - K. Nicolussi
- Department of GeographyUniversität InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - M. Oinonen
- Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - M. Salzer
- Laboratory of Tree Ring ResearchUniversity of ArizonaTucsonAZUSA
| | - M. Takeyama
- Faculty of ScienceYamagata UniversityYamagataJapan
| | - F. Tokanai
- Faculty of ScienceYamagata UniversityYamagataJapan
| | - L. Wacker
- Laboratory for Ion Beam PhysicsETH ZürichZürichSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Büntgen U, Allen K, Anchukaitis KJ, Arseneault D, Boucher É, Bräuning A, Chatterjee S, Cherubini P, Churakova Sidorova OV, Corona C, Gennaretti F, Grießinger J, Guillet S, Guiot J, Gunnarson B, Helama S, Hochreuther P, Hughes MK, Huybers P, Kirdyanov AV, Krusic PJ, Ludescher J, Meier WJH, Myglan VS, Nicolussi K, Oppenheimer C, Reinig F, Salzer MW, Seftigen K, Stine AR, Stoffel M, St George S, Tejedor E, Trevino A, Trouet V, Wang J, Wilson R, Yang B, Xu G, Esper J. The influence of decision-making in tree ring-based climate reconstructions. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3411. [PMID: 34099683 PMCID: PMC8184857 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23627-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Tree-ring chronologies underpin the majority of annually-resolved reconstructions of Common Era climate. However, they are derived using different datasets and techniques, the ramifications of which have hitherto been little explored. Here, we report the results of a double-blind experiment that yielded 15 Northern Hemisphere summer temperature reconstructions from a common network of regional tree-ring width datasets. Taken together as an ensemble, the Common Era reconstruction mean correlates with instrumental temperatures from 1794-2016 CE at 0.79 (p < 0.001), reveals summer cooling in the years following large volcanic eruptions, and exhibits strong warming since the 1980s. Differing in their mean, variance, amplitude, sensitivity, and persistence, the ensemble members demonstrate the influence of subjectivity in the reconstruction process. We therefore recommend the routine use of ensemble reconstruction approaches to provide a more consensual picture of past climate variability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ulf Büntgen
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,Swiss Federal Research Institute (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland. .,Global Change Research Centre (CzechGlobe), Brno, Czech Republic. .,Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Kathy Allen
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Richmond, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of NSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kevin J Anchukaitis
- School of Geography, Development, and Environment and Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Dominique Arseneault
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geography, University of Quebec in Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | - Étienne Boucher
- Department of Geography, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.,GEOTOP, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Achim Bräuning
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Paolo Cherubini
- Swiss Federal Research Institute (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | | | - Christophe Corona
- Université Clermont-Auvergne, Geolab UMR 6042 CNRS, Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Gennaretti
- GREMA and Forest Research Institute, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Amos, Canada
| | - Jussi Grießinger
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Guillet
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Joel Guiot
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Coll France, CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Björn Gunnarson
- Department of Physical Geography, Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Samuli Helama
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Philipp Hochreuther
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Malcolm K Hughes
- Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Peter Huybers
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alexander V Kirdyanov
- Institute of Ecology and Geography, Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.,Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Paul J Krusic
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Physical Geography, Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Josef Ludescher
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Potsdam, Germany
| | - Wolfgang J-H Meier
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Vladimir S Myglan
- Institute of Humanities, Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Kurt Nicolussi
- Department of Geography, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Clive Oppenheimer
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Cambridge, UK
| | - Frederick Reinig
- Department of Geography, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Matthew W Salzer
- Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Kristina Seftigen
- Swiss Federal Research Institute (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland.,Department of Earth Sciences, Goteborg University, Goteborg, Sweden
| | - Alexander R Stine
- Department of Earth & Climate Sciences, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Markus Stoffel
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Scott St George
- Department of Geography, Environment and Society, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Ernesto Tejedor
- Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University at Albany (SUNY), Albany, NY, USA
| | - Aleyda Trevino
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Valerie Trouet
- Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Jianglin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China.,CAS Centre for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Qinghai Research Centre of Qilian Mountain National Park, Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability and Qinghai Normal University, Xining, China
| | - Rob Wilson
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK.,Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY, USA
| | - Bao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China.,CAS Centre for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Qinghai Research Centre of Qilian Mountain National Park, Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability and Qinghai Normal University, Xining, China
| | - Guobao Xu
- Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.,State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jan Esper
- Global Change Research Centre (CzechGlobe), Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Geography, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Rapid 14C excursion at 3372-3371 BCE not observed at two different locations. Nat Commun 2021; 12:712. [PMID: 33514715 PMCID: PMC7846558 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20695-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
|
20
|
Abstract
The mathematical aberration of the Gregorian chronology’s missing “year zero” retains enduring potential to sow confusion in studies of paleoclimatology and environmental ancient history. The possibility of dating error is especially high when pre-Common Era proxy evidence from tree rings, ice cores, radiocarbon dates, and documentary sources is integrated. This calls for renewed vigilance, with systematic reference to astronomical time (including year zero) or, at the very least, clarification of the dating scheme(s) employed in individual studies.
Collapse
|
21
|
Manning SW, Wacker L, Büntgen U, Bronk Ramsey C, Dee MW, Kromer B, Lorentzen B, Tegel W. Radiocarbon offsets and old world chronology as relevant to Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia and Thera (Santorini). Sci Rep 2020; 10:13785. [PMID: 32807792 PMCID: PMC7431540 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69287-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The new IntCal20 radiocarbon record continues decades of successful practice by employing one calibration curve as an approximation for different regions across the hemisphere. Here we investigate three radiocarbon time-series of archaeological and historical importance from the Mediterranean-Anatolian region, which indicate, or may include, offsets from IntCal20 (~0-22 14C years). While modest, these differences are critical for our precise understanding of historical and environmental events across the Mediterranean Basin and Near East. Offsets towards older radiocarbon ages in Mediterranean-Anatolian wood can be explained by a divergence between high-resolution radiocarbon dates from the recent generation of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) versus dates from previous technologies, such as low-level gas proportional counting (LLGPC) and liquid scintillation spectrometry (LSS). However, another reason is likely differing growing season lengths and timings, which would affect the seasonal cycle of atmospheric radiocarbon concentrations recorded in different geographic zones. Understanding and correcting these offsets is key to the well-defined calendar placement of a Middle Bronze Age tree-ring chronology. This in turn resolves long-standing debate over Mesopotamian chronology in the earlier second millennium BCE. Last but not least, accurate dating is needed for any further assessment of the societal and environmental impact of the Thera/Santorini volcanic eruption.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sturt W Manning
- Cornell Tree Ring Laboratory, Department of Classics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Lukas Wacker
- Laboratory for Ion Beam Physics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulf Büntgen
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EN, UK.,Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.,Global Change Research Institute CAS, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Christopher Bronk Ramsey
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology, School of Archaeology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3TG, UK
| | - Michael W Dee
- Centre for Isotope Research, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 6, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bernd Kromer
- Institute of Environmental Physics, University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Brita Lorentzen
- Cornell Tree Ring Laboratory, Department of Classics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Willy Tegel
- Chair of Forest Growth and Dendroecology, Institute of Forest Sciences, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Archaeological Service Kanton Thurgau (AATG), 8510, Frauenfeld, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Complications and challenges for securing Mediterranean timelines. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:18157-18158. [PMID: 32753550 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2006552117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|
23
|
Radiocarbon-based approach capable of subannual precision resolves the origins of the site of Por-Bajin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:14038-14041. [PMID: 32513700 PMCID: PMC7321958 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1921301117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The problem with radiocarbon dating is that its resolution is only centennial or, at the very best, decadal. Thus, the method is incapable of resolving many historical problems. Here, we use recent developments in atmospheric science to date the construction of a renowned archaeological site to the exact year, in fact, to the exact season. Such precision opens up new possibilities for the broader study of human history. Achieving dates on an annual scale will offer the potential for new assessments to be made of considerable archaeological significance. Inadequate resolution is the principal limitation of radiocarbon dating. However, recent work has shown that exact-year precision is attainable if use can be made of past increases in atmospheric radiocarbon concentration or so-called Miyake events. Here, this nascent method is applied to an archaeological site of previously unknown age. We locate the distinctive radiocarbon signal of the year 775 common era (CE) in wood from the base of the Uyghur monument of Por-Bajin in Russia. Our analysis shows that the construction of Por-Bajin started in the summer of 777 CE, a foundation date that resolves decades of debate and allows the origin and purpose of the building to be established.
Collapse
|
24
|
Securing timelines in the ancient Mediterranean using multiproxy annual tree-ring data. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:8410-8415. [PMID: 32229554 PMCID: PMC7165418 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1917445117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Calendar-dated tree-ring sequences offer an unparalleled resource for high-resolution paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Where such records exist for a few limited geographic regions over the last 8,000 to 12,000 years, they have proved invaluable for creating precise and accurate timelines for past human and environmental interactions. To expand such records across new geographic territory or extend data for certain regions further backward in time, new applications must be developed to secure "floating" (not yet absolutely dated) tree-ring sequences, which cannot be assigned single-calendar year dates by standard dendrochronological techniques. This study develops two approaches to this problem for a critical floating tree-ring chronology from the East Mediterranean Bronze-Iron Age. The chronology is more closely fixed in time using annually resolved patterns of 14C, modulated by cosmic radiation, between 1700 and 1480 BC. This placement is then tested using an anticorrelation between calendar-dated tree-ring growth responses to climatically effective volcanism in North American bristlecone pine and the Mediterranean trees. Examination of the newly dated Mediterranean tree-ring sequence between 1630 and 1500 BC using X-ray fluorescence revealed an unusual calcium anomaly around 1560 BC. While requiring further replication and analysis, this anomaly merits exploration as a potential marker for the eruption of Thera.
Collapse
|
25
|
Manning SW, Kromer B, Cremaschi M, Dee MW, Friedrich R, Griggs C, Hadden CS. Mediterranean radiocarbon offsets and calendar dates for prehistory. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaz1096. [PMID: 32206721 PMCID: PMC7080444 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz1096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A single Northern Hemisphere calibration curve has formed the basis of radiocarbon dating in Europe and the Mediterranean for five decades, setting the time frame for prehistory. However, as measurement precision increases, there is mounting evidence for some small but substantive regional (partly growing season) offsets in same-year radiocarbon levels. Controlling for interlaboratory variation, we compare radiocarbon data from Europe and the Mediterranean in the second to earlier first millennia BCE. Consistent with recent findings in the second millennium CE, these data suggest that some small, but critical, periods of variation for Mediterranean radiocarbon levels exist, especially associated with major reversals or plateaus in the atmospheric radiocarbon record. At high precision, these variations potentially affect calendar dates for prehistory by up to a few decades, including, for example, Egyptian history and the much-debated Thera/Santorini volcanic eruption.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sturt W. Manning
- Cornell Tree Ring Laboratory, Department of Classics, B-48 Goldwin Smith Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Bernd Kromer
- Institute of Environmental Physics, University of Heidelberg, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mauro Cremaschi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra “Ardito Desio,” Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Michael W. Dee
- Centre for Isotope Research, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 6, NL-9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Ronny Friedrich
- Curt-Engelhorn-Center Archaeometry gGmbH, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carol Griggs
- Cornell Tree Ring Laboratory, Department of Classics, B-48 Goldwin Smith Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Carla S. Hadden
- Center for Applied Isotope Studies, University of Georgia, 120 Riverbend Rd., Athens, GA 30602, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Prolonged production of 14C during the ~660 BCE solar proton event from Japanese tree rings. Sci Rep 2020; 10:660. [PMID: 31959822 PMCID: PMC6971252 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-57273-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Annual rings record the intensity of cosmic rays (CRs) that had entered into the Earth’s atmosphere. Several rapid 14C increases in the past, such as the 775 CE and 994CE 14C spikes, have been reported to originate from extreme solar proton events (SPEs). Another rapid 14C increase, also known as the ca. 660 BCE event in German oak tree rings as well as increases of 10Be and 36Cl in ice cores, was presumed similar to the 775 CE event; however, as the 14C increase of approximately 10‰ in 660 BCE had taken a rather longer rise time of 3–4 years as compared to that of the 775 CE event, the occurrence could not be simply associated to an extreme SPE. In this study, to elucidate the rapid increase in 14C concentrations in tree rings around 660 BCE, we have precisely measured the 14C concentrations of earlywoods and latewoods inside the annual rings of Japanese cedar for the period 669–633 BCE. Based on the feature of 14C production rate calculated from the fine measured profile of the 14C concentrations, we found that the 14C rapid increase occurred within 665–663.5 BCE, and that duration of 14C production describing the event is distributed from one month to 41 months. The possibility of occurrence of consecutive SPEs over up to three years is offered.
Collapse
|
27
|
Dendrochronological evidence for long-distance timber trading in the Roman Empire. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224077. [PMID: 31800578 PMCID: PMC6892532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
An important question for our understanding of Roman history is how the Empire’s economy was structured, and how long-distance trading within and between its provinces was organised and achieved. Moreover, it is still unclear whether large construction timbers, for use in Italy, came from the widespread temperate forests north of the Alps and were then transported to the sparsely-wooded Mediterranean region in the south. Here, we present dendrochronological results from the archaeological excavation of an expensively decorated portico in the centre of Rome. The oak trees (Quercus sp.), providing twenty-four well-preserved planks in waterlogged ground, had been felled between 40 and 60 CE in the Jura Mountains of north-eastern France. It is most likely that the wood was transported to the Eternal City on the Saône and Rhône rivers and then across the Mediterranean Sea. This rare dendrochronological evidence from the capital of the Roman Empire gives fresh impetus to the ongoing debate on the likelihood of transporting timber over long distances within and between Roman provinces. This study reconstructs the administrative and logistic efforts required to transport high-quality construction timber from central Europe to Rome. It also highlights an advanced network of trade, and emphasises the enormous value of oak wood in Roman times.
Collapse
|