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Tree-rings reveal two strong solar proton events in 7176 and 5259 BCE

Author

Listed:
  • Nicolas Brehm

    (Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETHZ)

  • Marcus Christl

    (Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETHZ)

  • Timothy D. J. Knowles

    (Bristol University)

  • Emmanuelle Casanova

    (Bristol University
    UMR7209 Archéologie et Archéobotanique: Sociétés, Pratiques et Environnements, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle)

  • Richard P. Evershed

    (Bristol University)

  • Florian Adolphi

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research)

  • Raimund Muscheler

    (Lund University)

  • Hans-Arno Synal

    (Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETHZ)

  • Florian Mekhaldi

    (Lund University
    British Antarctic Survey, Ice Dynamics and Paleoclimate)

  • Chiara I. Paleari

    (Lund University)

  • Hanns-Hubert Leuschner

    (Georg-August-University)

  • Alex Bayliss

    (Historic England, Cannon Bridge House)

  • Kurt Nicolussi

    (Universität Innsbruck)

  • Thomas Pichler

    (Universität Innsbruck)

  • Christian Schlüchter

    (University of Bern)

  • Charlotte L. Pearson

    (University of Arizona, the Laboratory for Tree-Ring Research)

  • Matthew W. Salzer

    (University of Arizona, the Laboratory for Tree-Ring Research)

  • Patrick Fonti

    (Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL)

  • Daniel Nievergelt

    (Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL)

  • Rashit Hantemirov

    (Laboratory of Dendrochronology, Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences
    Ural Federal University)

  • David M. Brown

    (The Queen’s University)

  • Ilya Usoskin

    (Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory and Space Physics and Astronomy Research Unit, University of Oulu)

  • Lukas Wacker

    (Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETHZ)

Abstract

The 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.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolas Brehm & Marcus Christl & Timothy D. J. Knowles & Emmanuelle Casanova & Richard P. Evershed & Florian Adolphi & Raimund Muscheler & Hans-Arno Synal & Florian Mekhaldi & Chiara I. Paleari & Hann, 2022. "Tree-rings reveal two strong solar proton events in 7176 and 5259 BCE," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-28804-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28804-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fusa Miyake & Kentaro Nagaya & Kimiaki Masuda & Toshio Nakamura, 2012. "A signature of cosmic-ray increase in ad 774–775 from tree rings in Japan," Nature, Nature, vol. 486(7402), pages 240-242, June.
    2. Chiara I. Paleari & Florian Mekhaldi & Florian Adolphi & Marcus Christl & Christof Vockenhuber & Philip Gautschi & Jürg Beer & Nicolas Brehm & Tobias Erhardt & Hans-Arno Synal & Lukas Wacker & Frank W, 2022. "Cosmogenic radionuclides reveal an extreme solar particle storm near a solar minimum 9125 years BP," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. A. J. Timothy Jull & Irina P. Panyushkina & Mihály Molnár & Tamás Varga & Lukas Wacker & Nicolas Brehm & Elemér Laszló & Chris Baisan & Matthew W. Salzer & Willy Tegel, 2021. "Rapid 14C excursion at 3372-3371 BCE not observed at two different locations," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-3, December.
    4. Florian Mekhaldi & Raimund Muscheler & Florian Adolphi & Ala Aldahan & Jürg Beer & Joseph R. McConnell & Göran Possnert & Michael Sigl & Anders Svensson & Hans-Arno Synal & Kees C. Welten & Thomas E. , 2015. "Multiradionuclide evidence for the solar origin of the cosmic-ray events of AD 774/5 and 993/4," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, December.
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