The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Raimund Muscheler

Raimund Muscheler

Professor

Raimund Muscheler

A Single-Year Cosmic Ray Event at 5410 BCE Registered in 14C of Tree Rings

Author

  • F. Miyake
  • I. P. Panyushkina
  • A. J.T. Jull
  • F. Adolphi
  • N. Brehm
  • S. Helama
  • K. Kanzawa
  • T. Moriya
  • R. Muscheler
  • K. Nicolussi
  • M. Oinonen
  • M. Salzer
  • M. Takeyama
  • F. Tokanai
  • L. Wacker

Summary, in English

The annual 14C data in tree rings is an outstanding proxy for uncovering extreme solar energetic particle (SEP) events in the past. Signatures of extreme SEP events have been reported in 774/775 CE, 992/993 CE, and ∼660 BCE. Here, we report another rapid increase of 14C concentration in tree rings from California, Switzerland, and Finland around 5410 BCE. These 14C data series show a significant increase of ∼6‰ in 5411–5410 BCE. The signature of 14C variation is very similar to the confirmed three SEP events and points to an extreme short-term flux of cosmic ray radiation into the atmosphere. The rapid 14C increase in 5411/5410 BCE rings occurred during a period of high solar activity and 60 years after a grand 14C excursion during 5481–5471 BCE. The similarity of our 14C data to previous events suggests that the origin of the 5410 BCE event is an extreme SEP event.

Department/s

  • Quaternary Sciences
  • MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system
  • BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate

Publishing year

2021-06-16

Language

English

Publication/Series

Geophysical Research Letters

Volume

48

Issue

11

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Topic

  • Climate Research

Keywords

  • cosmogenic nuclide
  • radiocarbon
  • solar activity
  • solar energetic particle
  • tree rings

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0094-8276