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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.
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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
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2
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Arsenović P, Rozanov E, Usoskin I, Turney C, Sukhodolov T, McCracken K, Friedel M, Anet J, Simić S, Maliniemi V, Egorova T, Korte M, Rieder H, Cooper A, Peter T. Global impacts of an extreme solar particle event under different geomagnetic field strengths. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2321770121. [PMID: 38950370 PMCID: PMC11252817 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321770121] [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: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Solar particle events (SPEs) are short-lived bursts of high-energy particles from the solar atmosphere and are widely recognized as posing significant economic risks to modern society. Most SPEs are relatively weak and have minor impacts on the Earth's environment, but historic records contain much stronger SPEs which have the potential to alter atmospheric chemistry, impacting climate and biological life. The impacts of such strong SPEs would be far more severe when the Earth's protective geomagnetic field is weak, such as during past geomagnetic excursions or reversals. Here, we model the impacts of an extreme SPE under different geomagnetic field strengths, focusing on changes in atmospheric chemistry and surface radiation using the atmosphere-ocean-chemistry-climate model SOCOL3-MPIOM and the radiation transfer model LibRadtran. Under current geomagnetic conditions, an extreme SPE would increase NOx concentrations in the polar stratosphere and mesosphere, causing reductions in extratropical stratospheric ozone lasting for about a year. In contrast, with no geomagnetic field, there would be a substantial increase in NOx throughout the entire atmosphere, resulting in severe stratospheric ozone depletion for several years. The resulting ground-level ultraviolet (UV) radiation would remain elevated for up to 6 y, leading to increases in UV index up to 20 to 25% and solar-induced DNA damage rates by 40 to 50%. The potential evolutionary impacts of past extreme SPEs remain an important question, while the risks they pose to human health in modern conditions continue to be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavle Arsenović
- Institute of Meteorology and Climatology, Department of Water, Atmosphere, and Environment, BOKU University, Vienna1180, Austria
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH, Zürich8092, Switzerland
| | - Eugene Rozanov
- Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos und World Radiation Center (PMOD/WRC), Davos7260, Switzerland
- Ozone Layer and Upper Atmosphere Research Laboratory, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg198504, Russia
| | - Ilya Usoskin
- Space Physics and Astronomy Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu90014, Finland
| | - Chris Turney
- Institute for Sustainable Futures, Division of Research, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW2007, Australia
| | - Timofei Sukhodolov
- Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos und World Radiation Center (PMOD/WRC), Davos7260, Switzerland
| | - Ken McCracken
- Institute for Sustainable Futures, Division of Research, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW2007, Australia
| | - Marina Friedel
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH, Zürich8092, Switzerland
| | - Julien Anet
- Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, MeteoSwiss, Zurich8058, Switzerland
| | - Stana Simić
- Institute of Meteorology and Climatology, Department of Water, Atmosphere, and Environment, BOKU University, Vienna1180, Austria
| | - Ville Maliniemi
- Water, Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu90014, Finland
| | - Tatiana Egorova
- Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos und World Radiation Center (PMOD/WRC), Davos7260, Switzerland
| | - Monika Korte
- Geophysics Department, Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam – Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam14473, Germany
| | - Harald Rieder
- Institute of Meteorology and Climatology, Department of Water, Atmosphere, and Environment, BOKU University, Vienna1180, Austria
| | - Alan Cooper
- Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW2640, Australia
| | - Thomas Peter
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH, Zürich8092, Switzerland
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3
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Kärhä O, Tanskanen EI, Vanhamäki H. Large regional variability in geomagnetic storm effects in the auroral zone. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18888. [PMID: 37919468 PMCID: PMC10622556 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46352-0] [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: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A digital society is fragile and vulnerable to space-originated electromagnetic disturbances. Global geomagnetic conditions have been actively monitored since the invention of the magnetometer in 1833. However, regional changes in the magnetic environment have been widely left unstudied because of the sparsity of the observing networks. The Scandinavian Magnetometer Array (SMA) was the densest magnetometer network in history, and it was in operation in Fennoscandia during the International Magnetospheric Study (IMS) in 1976-1979. The data has been left mainly unstudied because it was recorded on 35 mm films, which are difficult to use for scientific studies. We used the DigiMAG digitization method to digitize magnetic data from all 32 SMA stations for a geomagnetic storm on 10-12 December 1977. Using these digitized values and modern magnetic data, we found large regional differences about up to 2 nT/km during strong geomagnetic storms (Dst 100-200 nT) and 7 nT/km for major scale Halloween geomagnetic storm, which correspond to 400 and 1400 nT difference for a typical 200 km station separation, respectively. The average size of substorms is 400 nT in the auroral zone. We conclude that the sparse magnetometer network can cause an underestimation of the regional magnetic disturbances and their effects. Misestimation of regional disturbances during extreme storms like the Carrington event may lead to insufficient planning of mitigation procedures and strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Otto Kärhä
- Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, University of Oulu, Tähteläntie, 99600, Sodankylä, Finland.
| | - Eija I Tanskanen
- Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, University of Oulu, Tähteläntie, 99600, Sodankylä, Finland
- Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering, Aalto University, Maarintie, 02150, Espoo, Finland
| | - Heikki Vanhamäki
- Space Physics and Astronomy Research Unit, University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran Katu, 90570, Oulu, Finland
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4
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Kalakoski N, Verronen PT, Szeląg ME, Jackman CH. Global ozone loss following extreme solar proton storms based on the July 2012 coronal mass ejection. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13873. [PMID: 37620392 PMCID: PMC10449785 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40129-1] [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: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Large solar coronal mass ejections pose a threat in the near-Earth space. As a cause of extreme periods of space weather, they can damage satellite-based communications and create geomagnetically induced currents in power and energy grids. Further, the solar wind energetic particles can reduce the protecting layer of atmospheric ozone and pose a threat to life on Earth. The large coronal mass ejection (CME) of July 2012, although directed away from the Earth, is often highlighted as a prime example of a potentially devastating super storm. Here we show, based on proton fluxes recorded by the instruments aboard the STEREO-A satellite, that the atmospheric response to the July 2012 event would have been comparable to those of the largest solar proton events of the satellite era. Significant impact on total ozone outside polar regions would require a much larger event, similar to those recorded in historical proxy data sets. Such an extreme event would cause long-term ozone reduction all the way to the equator and increase the size, duration, and depth of the Antarctic ozone hole. The impact would be comparable to predicted drastic and sudden ozone reduction from major volcanic eruptions, regional nuclear conflicts, or long-term stratospheric geoengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niilo Kalakoski
- Space and Earth Observation Centre, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Pekka T Verronen
- Space and Earth Observation Centre, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
- Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, University of Oulu, Sodankylä, Finland
| | - Monika E Szeląg
- Space and Earth Observation Centre, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
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5
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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.
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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
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6
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Dasari S, Paris G, Charreau J, Savarino J. Sulfur-isotope anomalies recorded in Antarctic ice cores as a potential proxy for tracing past ozone layer depletion events. PNAS NEXUS 2022; 1:pgac170. [PMID: 36714879 PMCID: PMC9802080 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Changes in the cosmic-ray background of the Earth can impact the ozone layer. High-energy cosmic events [e.g. supernova (SN)] or rapid changes in the Earth's magnetic field [e.g. geomagnetic Excursion (GE)] can lead to a cascade of cosmic rays. Ensuing chemical reactions can then cause thinning/destruction of the ozone layer-leading to enhanced penetration of harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation toward the Earth's surface. However, observational evidence for such UV "windows" is still lacking. Here, we conduct a pilot study and investigate this notion during two well-known events: the multiple SN event (≈10 kBP) and the Laschamp GE event (≈41 kBP). We hypothesize that ice-core-Δ33S records-originally used as volcanic fingerprints-can reveal UV-induced background-tropospheric-photochemical imprints during such events. Indeed, we find nonvolcanic S-isotopic anomalies (Δ33S ≠ 0‰) in background Antarctic ice-core sulfate during GE/SN periods, thereby confirming our hypothesis. This suggests that ice-core-Δ33S records can serve as a proxy for past ozone-layer-depletion events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guillaume Paris
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Julien Charreau
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, 54000 Nancy, France
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7
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Noy I, Uher T. Four New Horsemen of an Apocalypse? Solar Flares, Super-volcanoes, Pandemics, and Artificial Intelligence. ECONOMICS OF DISASTERS AND CLIMATE CHANGE 2022; 6:393-416. [PMID: 35071973 PMCID: PMC8761044 DOI: 10.1007/s41885-022-00105-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
If economists have largely failed to predict or prevent the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, and the more disastrous economic collapse associated with the pandemic of 2020, what else is the profession missing? This is the question that motivates this survey. Specifically, we want to highlight four catastrophic risks – i.e., risks that can potentially result in global catastrophes of a much larger magnitude than either of the 2008 or 2020 events. The four risks we examine here are: Space weather and solar flares, super-volcanic eruptions, high-mortality pandemics, and misaligned artificial intelligence. All four have a non-trivial probability of occurring and all four can lead to a catastrophe, possibly not very different from human extinction. Inevitably, and fortunately, these catastrophic events have not yet occurred, so the literature investigating them is by necessity more speculative and less grounded in empirical observations. Nevertheless, that does not make these risks any less real. This survey is motivated by the belief that economists can and should be thinking about these risks more systematically, so that we can devise the appropriate ways to prevent them or ameliorate their potential impacts.
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8
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Hu J, Airapetian VS, Li G, Zank G, Jin M. Extreme energetic particle events by superflare-asssociated CMEs from solar-like stars. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabi9743. [PMID: 35333577 PMCID: PMC8956258 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abi9743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Discovery of frequent superflares on active cool stars opened a new avenue in understanding the properties of eruptive events and their impact on exoplanetary environments. Solar data suggest that coronal mass ejections (CMEs) should be associated with superflares on active solar-like planet hosts and produce solar/stellar energetic particle (SEP/StEP) events. Here, we apply the 2D Particle Acceleration and Transport in the Heliosphere model to simulate the SEPs accelerated via CME-driven shocks from the Sun and young solar-like stars. We derive the scaling of SEP fluence and hardness of energy spectra with CME speed and associated flare energy. These results have crucial implications for the prebiotic chemistry and expected atmospheric biosignatures from young rocky exoplanets as well as the chemistry and isotopic composition of circumstellar disks around infant solar-like stars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxiang Hu
- Department of Space Science and CSPAR, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Vladimir S Airapetian
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/SEEC, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- American University, DC, USA
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Space Science and CSPAR, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Gary Zank
- Department of Space Science and CSPAR, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Meng Jin
- SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA, USA
- Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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9
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Paleari CI, Mekhaldi F, Adolphi F, Christl M, Vockenhuber C, Gautschi P, Beer J, Brehm N, Erhardt T, Synal HA, Wacker L, Wilhelms F, Muscheler R. Cosmogenic radionuclides reveal an extreme solar particle storm near a solar minimum 9125 years BP. Nat Commun 2022; 13:214. [PMID: 35017519 PMCID: PMC8752676 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27891-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
During solar storms, the Sun expels large amounts of energetic particles (SEP) that can react with the Earth's atmospheric constituents and produce cosmogenic radionuclides such as 14C, 10Be and 36Cl. Here we present 10Be and 36Cl data measured in ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica. The data consistently show one of the largest 10Be and 36Cl production peaks detected so far, most likely produced by an extreme SEP event that hit Earth 9125 years BP (before present, i.e., before 1950 CE), i.e., 7176 BCE. Using the 36Cl/10Be ratio, we demonstrate that this event was characterized by a very hard energy spectrum and was possibly up to two orders of magnitude larger than any SEP event during the instrumental period. Furthermore, we provide 10Be-based evidence that, contrary to expectations, the SEP event occurred near a solar minimum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara I Paleari
- Department of Geology - Quaternary Sciences, Lund University, 22362, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Florian Mekhaldi
- Department of Geology - Quaternary Sciences, Lund University, 22362, Lund, Sweden
- British Antarctic Survey, Ice Dynamics and Paleoclimate, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Florian Adolphi
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Marcus Christl
- Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Philip Gautschi
- Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jürg Beer
- Department of Surface Waters, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Brehm
- Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Erhardt
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hans-Arno Synal
- Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Wacker
- Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Frank Wilhelms
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Department of Crystallography, Geoscience Centre, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Raimund Muscheler
- Department of Geology - Quaternary Sciences, Lund University, 22362, Lund, Sweden
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10
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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.
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11
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Cooper A, Turney CSM, Palmer J, Hogg A, McGlone M, Wilmshurst J, Lorrey AM, Heaton TJ, Russell JM, McCracken K, Anet JG, Rozanov E, Friedel M, Suter I, Peter T, Muscheler R, Adolphi F, Dosseto A, Faith JT, Fenwick P, Fogwill CJ, Hughen K, Lipson M, Liu J, Nowaczyk N, Rainsley E, Bronk Ramsey C, Sebastianelli P, Souilmi Y, Stevenson J, Thomas Z, Tobler R, Zech R. A global environmental crisis 42,000 years ago. Science 2021; 371:811-818. [PMID: 33602851 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb8677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Geological archives record multiple reversals of Earth's magnetic poles, but the global impacts of these events, if any, remain unclear. Uncertain radiocarbon calibration has limited investigation of the potential effects of the last major magnetic inversion, known as the Laschamps Excursion [41 to 42 thousand years ago (ka)]. We use ancient New Zealand kauri trees (Agathis australis) to develop a detailed record of atmospheric radiocarbon levels across the Laschamps Excursion. We precisely characterize the geomagnetic reversal and perform global chemistry-climate modeling and detailed radiocarbon dating of paleoenvironmental records to investigate impacts. We find that geomagnetic field minima ~42 ka, in combination with Grand Solar Minima, caused substantial changes in atmospheric ozone concentration and circulation, driving synchronous global climate shifts that caused major environmental changes, extinction events, and transformations in the archaeological record.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Cooper
- South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia. .,BlueSky Genetics, PO Box 287, Adelaide, SA 5137, Australia
| | - Chris S M Turney
- Chronos Carbon-Cycle Facility, and Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Jonathan Palmer
- Chronos Carbon-Cycle Facility, and Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Alan Hogg
- Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Matt McGlone
- Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Janet Wilmshurst
- Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln, New Zealand.,School of Environment, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Andrew M Lorrey
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Timothy J Heaton
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK
| | - James M Russell
- Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Ken McCracken
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Julien G Anet
- Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Centre for Aviation, 8401 Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Eugene Rozanov
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climatic Science, ETH Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.,Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos and World Radiation Center, 7260 Davos, Switzerland.,Department of Physics of Earth, Faculty of Physics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 198504, Russia
| | - Marina Friedel
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climatic Science, ETH Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ivo Suter
- Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Peter
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climatic Science, ETH Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Raimund Muscheler
- Department of Geology, Quaternary Sciences, Lund University, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Florian Adolphi
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Anthony Dosseto
- Wollongong Isotope Geochronology Laboratory, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - J Tyler Faith
- Natural History Museum of Utah and Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Pavla Fenwick
- Gondwana Tree-Ring Laboratory, PO Box 14, Little River, Canterbury 7546, New Zealand
| | - Christopher J Fogwill
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Keele, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Konrad Hughen
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Mathew Lipson
- Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jiabo Liu
- Southern University of Science and Technology, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Norbert Nowaczyk
- Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.3, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Eleanor Rainsley
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Keele, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Christopher Bronk Ramsey
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, School of Archaeology, University of Oxford, OX1 3TG, UK
| | - Paolo Sebastianelli
- Faculty of Mathematics, Astronomy and Physics (FAMAF), National University of Cordoba, X5000HUA, Argentina
| | - Yassine Souilmi
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Janelle Stevenson
- Archaeology and Natural History, School of Culture History and Language, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.,Australia ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Australian National University, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Zoë Thomas
- Chronos Carbon-Cycle Facility, and Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Raymond Tobler
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Roland Zech
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
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12
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Neocleous A, Azzopardi G, Dee M. Identification of possible Δ 14C anomalies since 14 ka BP: A computational intelligence approach. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 663:162-169. [PMID: 30711582 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Rapid increments in the concentration of the radiocarbon in the atmosphere (Δ14C) have been identified in the years 774-775 CE and 993-994 CE (Miyake events) using annual measurements on known-age tree-rings. The level of cosmic radiation implied by such increases could cause the failure of satellite telecommunication systems, and thus, there is a need to model and predict them. In this work, we investigated several intelligent computational methods to identify similar events in the past. We apply state-of-the-art pattern matching techniques as well as feature representation, a procedure that typically is used in machine learning and classification. To validate our findings, we used as ground truth the two confirmed Miyake events, and several other dates that have been proposed in the literature. We show that some of the methods used in this study successfully identify most of the ground truth events (~1% false positive rate at 75% true positive rate). Our results show that computational methods can be used to identify comparable patterns of interest and hence potentially uncover sudden increments of Δ14C in the past.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Neocleous
- Center for Isotope Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - George Azzopardi
- Bernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Michael Dee
- Center for Isotope Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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13
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Multiradionuclide evidence for an extreme solar proton event around 2,610 B.P. (∼660 BC). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:5961-5966. [PMID: 30858311 PMCID: PMC6442557 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1815725116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, it has been confirmed that extreme solar proton events can lead to significantly increased atmospheric production rates of cosmogenic radionuclides. Evidence of such events is recorded in annually resolved natural archives, such as tree rings [carbon-14 (14C)] and ice cores [beryllium-10 (10Be), chlorine-36 (36Cl)]. Here, we show evidence for an extreme solar event around 2,610 years B.P. (∼660 BC) based on high-resolution 10Be data from two Greenland ice cores. Our conclusions are supported by modeled 14C production rates for the same period. Using existing 36Cl ice core data in conjunction with 10Be, we further show that this solar event was characterized by a very hard energy spectrum. These results indicate that the 2,610-years B.P. event was an order of magnitude stronger than any solar event recorded during the instrumental period and comparable with the solar proton event of AD 774/775, the largest solar event known to date. The results illustrate the importance of multiple ice core radionuclide measurements for the reliable identification of short-term production rate increases and the assessment of their origins.
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14
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Tilley MA, Segura A, Meadows V, Hawley S, Davenport J. Modeling Repeated M Dwarf Flaring at an Earth-like Planet in the Habitable Zone: Atmospheric Effects for an Unmagnetized Planet. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:64-86. [PMID: 30070900 PMCID: PMC6340793 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2017.1794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the impact of active M dwarf stars on the atmospheric equilibrium and surface conditions of a habitable zone Earth-like planet is key to assessing M dwarf planet habitability. Previous modeling of the impact of electromagnetic (EM) radiation and protons from a single large flare on an Earth-like atmosphere indicated that significant and long-term reductions in ozone were possible, but the atmosphere recovered. However, these stars more realistically exhibit frequent flaring with a distribution of different total energies and cadences. Here, we use a coupled 1D photochemical and radiative-convective model to investigate the effects of repeated flaring on the photochemistry and surface UV of an Earth-like planet unprotected by an intrinsic magnetic field. As input, we use time-resolved flare spectra obtained for the dM3 star AD Leonis, combined with flare occurrence frequencies and total energies (typically 1030.5 to 1034 erg) from the 4-year Kepler light curve for the dM4 flare star GJ1243, with varied proton event impact frequency. Our model results show that repeated EM-only flares have little effect on the ozone column depth but that multiple proton events can rapidly destroy the ozone column. Combining the realistic flare and proton event frequencies with nominal CME/SEP geometries, we find the ozone column for an Earth-like planet can be depleted by 94% in 10 years, with a downward trend that makes recovery unlikely and suggests further destruction. For more extreme stellar inputs, O3 depletion allows a constant ∼0.1-1 W m-2 of UVC at the planet's surface, which is likely detrimental to organic complexity. Our results suggest that active M dwarf hosts may comprehensively destroy ozone shields and subject the surface of magnetically unprotected Earth-like planets to long-term radiation that can damage complex organic structures. However, this does not preclude habitability, as a safe haven for life could still exist below an ocean surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt A. Tilley
- Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- NASA Astrobiology Institute—Virtual Planetary Laboratory Lead Team, USA
- Astrobiology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Address correspondence to: Matt A. Tilley, University of Washington, Johnson Hall Rm-070, Box 351310, Seattle, WA 98195-1310
| | - Antígona Segura
- NASA Astrobiology Institute—Virtual Planetary Laboratory Lead Team, USA
- Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México
| | - Victoria Meadows
- NASA Astrobiology Institute—Virtual Planetary Laboratory Lead Team, USA
- Astrobiology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Suzanne Hawley
- NASA Astrobiology Institute—Virtual Planetary Laboratory Lead Team, USA
- Astrobiology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - James Davenport
- NASA Astrobiology Institute—Virtual Planetary Laboratory Lead Team, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, USA
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15
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Büntgen U, Wacker L, Galván JD, Arnold S, Arseneault D, Baillie M, Beer J, Bernabei M, Bleicher N, Boswijk G, Bräuning A, Carrer M, Ljungqvist FC, Cherubini P, Christl M, Christie DA, Clark PW, Cook ER, D'Arrigo R, Davi N, Eggertsson Ó, Esper J, Fowler AM, Gedalof Z, Gennaretti F, Grießinger J, Grissino-Mayer H, Grudd H, Gunnarson BE, Hantemirov R, Herzig F, Hessl A, Heussner KU, Jull AJT, Kukarskih V, Kirdyanov A, Kolář T, Krusic PJ, Kyncl T, Lara A, LeQuesne C, Linderholm HW, Loader NJ, Luckman B, Miyake F, Myglan VS, Nicolussi K, Oppenheimer C, Palmer J, Panyushkina I, Pederson N, Rybníček M, Schweingruber FH, Seim A, Sigl M, Churakova Sidorova O, Speer JH, Synal HA, Tegel W, Treydte K, Villalba R, Wiles G, Wilson R, Winship LJ, Wunder J, Yang B, Young GHF. Tree rings reveal globally coherent signature of cosmogenic radiocarbon events in 774 and 993 CE. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3605. [PMID: 30190505 PMCID: PMC6127282 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06036-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Though tree-ring chronologies are annually resolved, their dating has never been independently validated at the global scale. Moreover, it is unknown if atmospheric radiocarbon enrichment events of cosmogenic origin leave spatiotemporally consistent fingerprints. Here we measure the 14C content in 484 individual tree rings formed in the periods 770–780 and 990–1000 CE. Distinct 14C excursions starting in the boreal summer of 774 and the boreal spring of 993 ensure the precise dating of 44 tree-ring records from five continents. We also identify a meridional decline of 11-year mean atmospheric radiocarbon concentrations across both hemispheres. Corroborated by historical eye-witness accounts of red auroras, our results suggest a global exposure to strong solar proton radiation. To improve understanding of the return frequency and intensity of past cosmic events, which is particularly important for assessing the potential threat of space weather on our society, further annually resolved 14C measurements are needed. Despite their extensive use, the absolute dating of tree-ring chronologies has not hitherto been independently validated at the global scale. Here, the identification of distinct 14C excursions in 484 individual tree rings, enable the authors to confirm the dating of 44 dendrochronologies from five continents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulf Büntgen
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EN, UK. .,Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland. .,Global Change Research Institute CAS, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic. .,Department of Geography, Masaryk University, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Lukas Wacker
- Laboratory for Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - J Diego Galván
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie Arnold
- Laboratory for Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Arseneault
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie, University of Québec in Rimouski, QC, G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Michael Baillie
- School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen's University, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Jürg Beer
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Eawag, CH-8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Mauro Bernabei
- CNR-IVALSA, Trees and Timber Institute, 38010, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Niels Bleicher
- Competence Center for Underwater Archaeology and Dendrochronology, Office for Urbanism, City of Zurich, 8008, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Gretel Boswijk
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, 1010, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Achim Bräuning
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marco Carrer
- Department Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, University of Padova, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EN, UK.,Department of History, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden.,Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paolo Cherubini
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Marcus Christl
- Laboratory for Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Duncan A Christie
- Laboratorio de Dendrocronología y Cambio Global, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile.,Center for Climate and Resilience Research, Blanco Encalada 2002, 8370449, Santiago, Chile
| | - Peter W Clark
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, 05405, USA
| | - Edward R Cook
- Tree-Ring Laboratory, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY, 10964-8000, USA
| | - Rosanne D'Arrigo
- Tree-Ring Laboratory, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY, 10964-8000, USA
| | - Nicole Davi
- Tree-Ring Laboratory, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY, 10964-8000, USA.,Department of Environmental Science, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, 07470, USA
| | | | - Jan Esper
- Department of Geography, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anthony M Fowler
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, 1010, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ze'ev Gedalof
- Department of Geography, University of Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Fabio Gennaretti
- AgroParisTech, INRA, Université de Lorraine, 54000, Nancy, France
| | - Jussi Grießinger
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Henri Grissino-Mayer
- Department of Geography, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-0925, USA
| | - Håkan Grudd
- Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, SE-104 05, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Björn E Gunnarson
- Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rashit Hantemirov
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, 620144, Russia
| | - Franz Herzig
- Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection, 80539, München, Germany
| | - Amy Hessl
- Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, WV, 26505-6300, USA
| | | | - A J Timothy Jull
- Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.,AMS Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.,Isotope Climatology and Environmental Research Centre, Institute of Nuclear Research, H-4001, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Vladimir Kukarskih
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, 620144, Russia
| | - Alexander Kirdyanov
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EN, UK.,Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS, 660036, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.,Department of Humanities, Siberian Federal University, 660041, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Tomáš Kolář
- Global Change Research Institute CAS, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Wood Science, Mendel University in Brno, 61300, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Paul J Krusic
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EN, UK.,Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.,Navarino Environmental Observatory, GR-24001, Messinia, Greece
| | - Tomáš Kyncl
- Global Change Research Institute CAS, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Antonio Lara
- Laboratorio de Dendrocronología y Cambio Global, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile.,Center for Climate and Resilience Research, Blanco Encalada 2002, 8370449, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos LeQuesne
- Laboratorio de Dendrocronología y Cambio Global, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Hans W Linderholm
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Neil J Loader
- Department of Geography, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, Wales, UK
| | - Brian Luckman
- Department of Geography, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Fusa Miyake
- Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Vladimir S Myglan
- Department of Humanities, Siberian Federal University, 660041, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Kurt Nicolussi
- Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Clive Oppenheimer
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EN, UK
| | - Jonathan Palmer
- Palaeontology, Geobiology and Earth Archives Research Centre, and ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Irina Panyushkina
- Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Neil Pederson
- Harvard Forest, Harvard University, Petersham, MA, 01366, USA
| | - Michal Rybníček
- Global Change Research Institute CAS, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Wood Science, Mendel University in Brno, 61300, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Andrea Seim
- Chair of Forest Growth and Dendroecology, Institute of Forest Sciences, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael Sigl
- Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Olga Churakova Sidorova
- Department of Humanities, Siberian Federal University, 660041, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.,Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - James H Speer
- Department of Earth and Environmental Systems, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, 47809, USA
| | - Hans-Arno Synal
- Laboratory for Ion Beam Physics, ETH Zürich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - 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
| | - Kerstin Treydte
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Ricardo Villalba
- Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales, IANIGLA - CONICET, Mendoza, CP 330, 5500, Argentina
| | - Greg Wiles
- Department of of Earth Sciences, The College of Wooster, OH, 44691, USA
| | - Rob Wilson
- Tree-Ring Laboratory, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY, 10964-8000, USA.,School of Geography and Geosciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9AJ, Scotland, UK
| | | | - Jan Wunder
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.,School of Environment, University of Auckland, 1010, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Bao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China
| | - Giles H F Young
- Department of Geography, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, Wales, UK
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16
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Uusitalo J, Arppe L, Hackman T, Helama S, Kovaltsov G, Mielikäinen K, Mäkinen H, Nöjd P, Palonen V, Usoskin I, Oinonen M. Solar superstorm of AD 774 recorded subannually by Arctic tree rings. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3495. [PMID: 30154404 PMCID: PMC6113262 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05883-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, a rapid increase in radiocarbon (14C) was observed in Japanese tree rings at AD 774/775. Various explanations for the anomaly have been offered, such as a supernova, a γ-ray burst, a cometary impact, or an exceptionally large Solar Particle Event (SPE). However, evidence of the origin and exact timing of the event remains incomplete. In particular, a key issue of latitudinal dependence of the 14C intensity has not been addressed yet. Here, we show that the event was most likely caused by the Sun and occurred during the spring of AD 774. Particularly, the event intensities from various locations show a strong correlation with the latitude, demonstrating a particle-induced 14C poleward increase, in accord with the solar origin of the event. Furthermore, both annual 14C data and carbon cycle modelling, and separate earlywood and latewood 14C measurements, confine the photosynthetic carbon fixation to around the midsummer. Tree rings retain information of sudden variations of ancient radiocarbon (14C) content, however the origin and exact timing of these events often remain uncertain. Here, the authors analyze a set of Arctic tree rings and link a rapid increase in 14C to a solar event that occurred during the spring of AD 774.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Uusitalo
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, 00014 Helsinki, Finland. .,Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - L Arppe
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - T Hackman
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - S Helama
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Eteläranta 55, 96300 Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - G Kovaltsov
- Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, Politekhnicheskaya 26, 194021 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - K Mielikäinen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Tietotie 2, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - H Mäkinen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Tietotie 2, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - P Nöjd
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Tietotie 2, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - V Palonen
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - I Usoskin
- Space Climate Research Unit and Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - M Oinonen
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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