Tree rings reveal globally coherent signature of cosmogenic radiocarbon events in 774 and 993 CE

Ulf Büntgen; Lukas Wacker; J. Diego Galván; Stephanie Arnold; Dominique Arseneault; Michael Baillie; Jürg Beer; Mauro Bernabei; Niels Bleicher; Gretel Boswijk; Achim Bräuning; Marco Carrer; Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist; Paolo Cherubini; Marcus Christl; Duncan A. Christie; Peter W. Clark; Edward R. Cook; Rosanne D’Arrigo; Nicole Davi; Ólafur Eggertsson; Jan Esper; Anthony M. Fowler; Ze’ev Gedalof; Fabio Gennaretti; Jussi Grießinger; Henri Grissino-Mayer; Håkan Grudd; Björn E. Gunnarson; Rashit Hantemirov; Franz Herzig; Amy Hessl; Karl Uwe Heussner; A. J.Timothy Jull; Vladimir Kukarskih; Alexander Kirdyanov; Tomáš Kolář; Paul J. Krusic; Tomáš Kyncl; Antonio Lara; Carlos LeQuesne; Hans W. Linderholm; Neil J. Loader; Brian Luckman; Fusa Miyake; Vladimir S. Myglan; Kurt Nicolussi; Clive Oppenheimer; Jonathan Palmer; Irina Panyushkina; Neil Pederson; Michal Rybníček; Fritz H. Schweingruber; Andrea Seim; Michael Sigl; Olga Churakova (Sidorova); James H. Speer; Hans Arno Synal; Willy Tegel; Kerstin Treydte; Ricardo Villalba; Greg Wiles; Rob Wilson; Lawrence J. Winship; Jan Wunder; Bao Yang; Giles H.F. Young

doi:10.1038/s41467-018-06036-0

Tree rings reveal globally coherent signature of cosmogenic radiocarbon events in 774 and 993 CE

Ulf Büntgen, Lukas Wacker, J. Diego Galván, Stephanie Arnold, Dominique Arseneault, Michael Baillie, Jürg Beer, Mauro Bernabei, Niels Bleicher, Gretel Boswijk, Achim Bräuning, Marco Carrer, Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist, Paolo Cherubini, Marcus Christl, Duncan A. Christie, Peter W. Clark, Edward R. Cook, Rosanne D’Arrigo, Nicole DaviÓlafur Eggertsson, Jan Esper, Anthony M. Fowler, Ze’ev Gedalof, Fabio Gennaretti, Jussi Grießinger, Henri Grissino-Mayer, Håkan Grudd, Björn E. Gunnarson, Rashit Hantemirov, Franz Herzig, Amy Hessl, Karl Uwe Heussner, A. J.Timothy Jull, Vladimir Kukarskih, Alexander Kirdyanov, Tomáš Kolář, Paul J. Krusic, Tomáš Kyncl, Antonio Lara, Carlos LeQuesne, Hans W. Linderholm, Neil J. Loader, Brian Luckman, Fusa Miyake, Vladimir S. Myglan, Kurt Nicolussi, Clive Oppenheimer, Jonathan Palmer, Irina Panyushkina, Neil Pederson, Michal Rybníček, Fritz H. Schweingruber, Andrea Seim, Michael Sigl, Olga Churakova (Sidorova), James H. Speer, Hans Arno Synal, Willy Tegel, Kerstin Treydte, Ricardo Villalba, Greg Wiles, Rob Wilson, Lawrence J. Winship, Jan Wunder, Bao Yang, Giles H.F. Young

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

118 Scopus citations

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.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	3605
Journal	Nature communications
Volume	9
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06036-0
State	Published - Dec 1 2018

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Physics and Astronomy

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Büntgen, U., Wacker, L., Galván, J. D., Arnold, S., Arseneault, D., Baillie, M., Beer, J., Bernabei, M., Bleicher, N., Boswijk, G., Bräuning, A., Carrer, M., Ljungqvist, F. C., Cherubini, P., Christl, M., Christie, D. A., Clark, P. W., Cook, E. R., D’Arrigo, R., ... Young, G. H. F. (2018). Tree rings reveal globally coherent signature of cosmogenic radiocarbon events in 774 and 993 CE. Nature communications, 9(1), Article 3605. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06036-0

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 2018, 'Tree rings reveal globally coherent signature of cosmogenic radiocarbon events in 774 and 993 CE', Nature communications, vol. 9, no. 1, 3605. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06036-0

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title = "Tree rings reveal globally coherent signature of cosmogenic radiocarbon events in 774 and 993 CE",

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.",

author = "Ulf B{\"u}ntgen and Lukas Wacker and Galv{\'a}n, {J. Diego} and Stephanie Arnold and Dominique Arseneault and Michael Baillie and J{\"u}rg Beer and Mauro Bernabei and Niels Bleicher and Gretel Boswijk and Achim Br{\"a}uning and Marco Carrer and Ljungqvist, {Fredrik Charpentier} and Paolo Cherubini and Marcus Christl and Christie, {Duncan A.} and Clark, {Peter W.} and Cook, {Edward R.} and Rosanne D{\textquoteright}Arrigo and Nicole Davi and {\'O}lafur Eggertsson and Jan Esper and Fowler, {Anthony M.} and Ze{\textquoteright}ev Gedalof and Fabio Gennaretti and Jussi Grie{\ss}inger and Henri Grissino-Mayer and H{\aa}kan Grudd and Gunnarson, {Bj{\"o}rn E.} and Rashit Hantemirov and Franz Herzig and Amy Hessl and Heussner, {Karl Uwe} and Jull, {A. J.Timothy} and Vladimir Kukarskih and Alexander Kirdyanov and Tom{\'a}{\v s} Kol{\'a}{\v r} and Krusic, {Paul J.} and Tom{\'a}{\v s} Kyncl and Antonio Lara and Carlos LeQuesne and Linderholm, {Hans W.} and Loader, {Neil J.} and Brian Luckman and Fusa Miyake and Myglan, {Vladimir S.} and Kurt Nicolussi and Clive Oppenheimer and Jonathan Palmer and Irina Panyushkina and Neil Pederson and Michal Rybn{\'i}{\v c}ek and Schweingruber, {Fritz H.} and Andrea Seim and Michael Sigl and {Churakova (Sidorova)}, Olga and Speer, {James H.} and Synal, {Hans Arno} and Willy Tegel and Kerstin Treydte and Ricardo Villalba and Greg Wiles and Rob Wilson and Winship, {Lawrence J.} and Jan Wunder and Bao Yang and Young, {Giles H.F.}",

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doi = "10.1038/s41467-018-06036-0",

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T1 - Tree rings reveal globally coherent signature of cosmogenic radiocarbon events in 774 and 993 CE

AU - Büntgen, Ulf

AU - Wacker, Lukas

AU - Galván, J. Diego

AU - Arnold, Stephanie

AU - Arseneault, Dominique

AU - Baillie, Michael

AU - Beer, Jürg

AU - Bernabei, Mauro

AU - Bleicher, Niels

AU - Boswijk, Gretel

AU - Bräuning, Achim

AU - Carrer, Marco

AU - Ljungqvist, Fredrik Charpentier

AU - Cherubini, Paolo

AU - Christl, Marcus

AU - Christie, Duncan A.

AU - Clark, Peter W.

AU - Cook, Edward R.

AU - D’Arrigo, Rosanne

AU - Davi, Nicole

AU - Eggertsson, Ólafur

AU - Esper, Jan

AU - Fowler, Anthony M.

AU - Gedalof, Ze’ev

AU - Gennaretti, Fabio

AU - Grießinger, Jussi

AU - Grissino-Mayer, Henri

AU - Grudd, Håkan

AU - Gunnarson, Björn E.

AU - Hantemirov, Rashit

AU - Herzig, Franz

AU - Hessl, Amy

AU - Heussner, Karl Uwe

AU - Jull, A. J.Timothy

AU - Kukarskih, Vladimir

AU - Kirdyanov, Alexander

AU - Kolář, Tomáš

AU - Krusic, Paul J.

AU - Kyncl, Tomáš

AU - Lara, Antonio

AU - LeQuesne, Carlos

AU - Linderholm, Hans W.

AU - Loader, Neil J.

AU - Luckman, Brian

AU - Miyake, Fusa

AU - Myglan, Vladimir S.

AU - Nicolussi, Kurt

AU - Oppenheimer, Clive

AU - Palmer, Jonathan

AU - Panyushkina, Irina

AU - Pederson, Neil

AU - Rybníček, Michal

AU - Schweingruber, Fritz H.

AU - Seim, Andrea

AU - Sigl, Michael

AU - Churakova (Sidorova), Olga

AU - Speer, James H.

AU - Synal, Hans Arno

AU - Tegel, Willy

AU - Treydte, Kerstin

AU - Villalba, Ricardo

AU - Wiles, Greg

AU - Wilson, Rob

AU - Winship, Lawrence J.

AU - Wunder, Jan

AU - Yang, Bao

AU - Young, Giles H.F.

PY - 2018/12/1

Y1 - 2018/12/1

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

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JO - Nature communications

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Tree rings reveal globally coherent signature of cosmogenic radiocarbon events in 774 and 993 CE

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