Solar superstorm of AD 774 recorded subannually by Arctic tree rings

J. Uusitalo; L. Arppe; T. Hackman; S. Helama; G. Kovaltsov; K. Mielikäinen; H. Mäkinen; P. Nöjd; V. Palonen; I. Usoskin; M. Oinonen

doi:10.1038/s41467-018-05883-1

Solar superstorm of AD 774 recorded subannually by Arctic tree rings

J. Uusitalo, L. Arppe, T. Hackman, S. Helama, G. Kovaltsov, K. Mielikäinen, H. Mäkinen, P. Nöjd, V. Palonen, I. Usoskin, M. Oinonen

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

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.

Original language	English
Article number	3495
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	9
Issue number	1
Number of pages	8
ISSN	2041-1723
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05883-1
Publication status	Published - 28 Aug 2018
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Bibliographical note

Correction:
Nature communications 10, article number: 1292 (2019)
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09214-w

Fields of Science

115 Astronomy, Space science
FINNISH LAPLAND
C-14
ATMOSPHERE
INCREASE
BE-10
RADIOCARBON
TROPOPAUSE
SIGNALS
CARBON
MODEL

Access to Document

10.1038/s41467-018-05883-1Licence: CC BY

s41467-018-05883-1Final published version, 1.22 MBLicence: CC BY
CORRECTION-s41467-019-09214-wFinal published version, 371 KBLicence: CC BY

Projects

1 Finished
1 Active

Plant physiology as palaeoenvironmental proxy: Amalgamation of mid and late Holocene tree-ring evidence from carbon isotopes and growth rates (CARATE)

Oinonen, M., Hilasvuori, E., Helama, S. & Mielikäinen, K.

31/10/2010 → …

Project: Research project

QUANOMAL: Menneisyys numeroina - Ympäristöanomalioiden tutkimukset puun vuosilustojen kautta (QUANOMAL)

Oinonen, M., Uusitalo, J., Arppe, L., Nöjd, P., Mäkinen, H., Helama, S. & Timonen, M.

01/09/2015 → 31/08/2019

Project: Research project

Equipment

The Laboratory of Chronology

Finnish Museum of Natural History

Facility/equipment: Equipment

Cite this

Uusitalo, J., Arppe, L., Hackman, T., Helama, S., Kovaltsov, G., Mielikäinen, K., Mäkinen, H., Nöjd, P., Palonen, V., Usoskin, I., & Oinonen, M. (2018). Solar superstorm of AD 774 recorded subannually by Arctic tree rings. Nature Communications, 9(1), [3495]. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05883-1

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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.",

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AU - Uusitalo, J.

AU - Arppe, L.

AU - Hackman, T.

AU - Helama, S.

AU - Kovaltsov, G.

AU - Mielikäinen, K.

AU - Mäkinen, H.

AU - Nöjd, P.

AU - Palonen, V.

AU - Usoskin, I.

AU - Oinonen, M.

N1 - Correction: Nature communications 10, article number: 1292 (2019) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09214-w

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N2 - 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.

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