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 and Giles H. F. Young
Additional contact information
Ulf Büntgen: University of Cambridge
Lukas Wacker: ETH Zürich
J. Diego Galván: Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Stephanie Arnold: ETH Zürich
Dominique Arseneault: Département de biologie, chimie et géographie
Michael Baillie: Queen’s University
Jürg Beer: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Eawag
Mauro Bernabei: Trees and Timber Institute
Niels Bleicher: Competence Center for Underwater Archaeology and Dendrochronology, Office for Urbanism
Gretel Boswijk: University of Auckland
Achim Bräuning: Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)
Marco Carrer: University of Padova
Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist: University of Cambridge
Paolo Cherubini: Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Marcus Christl: ETH Zürich
Duncan A. Christie: Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567
Peter W. Clark: University of Vermont, Burlington
Edward R. Cook: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Rosanne D’Arrigo: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Nicole Davi: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Ólafur Eggertsson: Icelandic Forest Research Mógilsá
Jan Esper: Johannes Gutenberg University
Anthony M. Fowler: University of Auckland
Ze’ev Gedalof: Department of Geography
Fabio Gennaretti: Université de Lorraine
Jussi Grießinger: Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)
Henri Grissino-Mayer: University of Tennessee
Håkan Grudd: Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, SE-104 05
Björn E. Gunnarson: Stockholm University
Rashit Hantemirov: Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Franz Herzig: Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection
Amy Hessl: Department of Geology and Geography
Karl-Uwe Heussner: German Archaeological Institute
A. J. Timothy Jull: University of Arizona
Vladimir Kukarskih: Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Alexander Kirdyanov: University of Cambridge
Tomáš Kolář: Global Change Research Institute CAS
Paul J. Krusic: University of Cambridge
Tomáš Kyncl: Global Change Research Institute CAS
Antonio Lara: Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567
Carlos LeQuesne: Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567
Hans W. Linderholm: University of Gothenburg
Neil J. Loader: Swansea University
Brian Luckman: University of Western Ontario
Fusa Miyake: Nagoya University
Vladimir S. Myglan: Siberian Federal University
Kurt Nicolussi: University of Innsbruck
Clive Oppenheimer: University of Cambridge
Jonathan Palmer: The University of New South Wales
Irina Panyushkina: University of Arizona
Neil Pederson: Harvard University
Michal Rybníček: Global Change Research Institute CAS
Fritz H. Schweingruber: Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Andrea Seim: University of Freiburg
Michael Sigl: Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute
Olga Churakova (Sidorova): Siberian Federal University
James H. Speer: Indiana State University
Hans-Arno Synal: ETH Zürich
Willy Tegel: University of Freiburg
Kerstin Treydte: Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Ricardo Villalba: IANIGLA - CONICET
Greg Wiles: Department of of Earth Sciences
Rob Wilson: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Lawrence J. Winship: Hampshire College
Jan Wunder: Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Bao Yang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Giles H. F. Young: Swansea University

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06036-0

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