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Multiradionuclide evidence for an extreme solar proton event around 2610 BP

Author

  • Martin Paschal Ohare

Summary, in English

Recently it has been confirmed that extreme solar proton events (SPE) can lead to significantly increased production of cosmogenic radionuclides (Mekhaldi et al. 2015). The evidence of these events can be recorded in tree rings (14C) and ice cores (10Be, 36Cl). The IntCal13 calibration curve, which is a continuous tree ring record of 14C fluctuations throughout the Holocene, was used to locate two potential spikes in radionuclide production (~7510 and ~2610 BP). The primary aim of this study was to establish whether these potential spikes have counterparts in other radionuclide records. The secondary aim was to determine whether the spikes in radionuclide production could be attributed to extreme solar events, and to define the parameters of these events.
The results indicate an increase in 10Be concentration and flux from the NGRIP ice core for the younger period of interest, 2610 BP. Additionally, a peak in concentration and flux has been discovered in existing GRIP 36Cl records for the same period. This synchronous peak in both records is consistent with the increased radionuclide production expected due to an extreme SPE. Calculations based on the production yields of 10Be and 36Cl suggest that the hypothesised SPE around 2610 BP was characterised by a hard spectrum and a exceptionally high fluence. Furthermore, this event was at least an order of magnitude more energetic than the so far assumed strongest hard SPE of February 1956, and similar in magnitude to the remarkably strong hard AD775 paleo-SPE event.

Publishing year

2017

Language

English

Publication/Series

Dissertations in Geology at Lund University

Document type

Student publication for Master's degree (two years)

Topic

  • Earth and Environmental Sciences

Keywords

  • cosmic-rays
  • cosmogenic radionuclides
  • NGRIP
  • GRIP
  • solar proton event
  • SPE

Report number

499

Supervisor

  • Raimund Muscheler (Dr.)
  • Florian Mekhaldi