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Scifo A, Kuitems M, Neocleous A, Pope BJS, Miles D, Jansma E, Doeve P, Smith AM, Miyake F, Dee MW. Radiocarbon Production Events and their Potential Relationship with the Schwabe Cycle. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17056. [PMID: 31745128 PMCID: PMC6863917 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53296-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Extreme cosmic radiation events occurred in the years 774/5 and 993/4 CE, as revealed by anomalies in the concentration of radiocarbon in known-age tree-rings. Most hypotheses point towards intense solar storms as the cause for these events, although little direct experimental support for this claim has thus far come to light. In this study, we perform very high-precision accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements on dendrochronological tree-rings spanning the years of the events of interest, as well as the Carrington Event of 1859 CE, which is recognized as an extreme solar storm even though it did not generate an anomalous radiocarbon signature. Our data, comprising 169 new and previously published measurements, appear to delineate the modulation of radiocarbon production due to the Schwabe (11-year) solar cycle. Moreover, they suggest that all three events occurred around the maximum of the solar cycle, adding experimental support for a common solar origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Scifo
- University of Groningen, Centre for Isotope Research, Nijenborgh 6, 9747AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - M Kuitems
- University of Groningen, Centre for Isotope Research, Nijenborgh 6, 9747AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - A Neocleous
- University of Cyprus, Department of Computer Science, 1 University Avenue, 2109, Aglantzia, Cyprus
| | - B J S Pope
- NASA Sagan Fellow, Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics and Center for Data Science, New York, NY, USA
| | - D Miles
- Oxford University, Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory, Mill Farm, Mapledurham, Oxfordshire, RG4 7TX, United Kingdom
| | - E Jansma
- Cultural Heritage Agency of The Netherlands, Smallepad 5, 3811 MG, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
| | - P Doeve
- Cultural Heritage Agency of The Netherlands, Smallepad 5, 3811 MG, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
| | - A M Smith
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), New Illawarra Rd, Lucas Heights, NSW, 2234, Australia
| | - F Miyake
- Nagoya University, Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - M W Dee
- University of Groningen, Centre for Isotope Research, Nijenborgh 6, 9747AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
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