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Cited by 225Tree-ring climate responsesGeology and Paleoclimatology ResearchArchaeology and ancient environmental studies

Bristlecone pine tree rings and volcanic eruptions over the last 5000 yr

Salzer, Matthew W., Hughes, Malcolm K.·2007·Quaternary Research
DOI 10.1016/j.yqres.2006.07.004
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Abstract

Many years of low growth identified in a western USA regional chronology of upper forest border bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva and Pinus aristata) over the last 5000 yr coincide with known large explosive volcanic eruptions and/or ice core signals of past eruptions. Over the last millennium the agreement between the tree-ring data and volcano/ice-core data is high: years of ring-width minima can be matched with known volcanic eruptions or ice-core volcanic signals in 86% of cases. In previous millennia, while there is substantial concurrence, the agreement decreases with increasing antiquity. Many of the bristlecone pine ring-width minima occurred at the same time as ring-width minima in high latitude trees from northwestern Siberia and/or northern Finland over the past 4000–5000 yr, suggesting climatically-effective events of at least hemispheric scale. In contrast with the ice-core records, the agreement between widely separated tree-ring records does not decrease with increasing antiquity. These data suggest specific intervals when the climate system was or was not particularly sensitive enough to volcanic forcing to affect the trees, and they augment the ice core record in a number of ways: by providing confirmation from an alternative proxy record for volcanic signals, by suggesting alternative dates for eruptions, and by adding to the list of years when volcanic events of global significance were likely, including the mid-2nd-millennium BC eruption of Thera.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.yqres.2006.07.004

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  • A range of tree-ring evidence around the northern hemisphere indicates unusual growth anomalies from 1628-1626 BCE plausibly associated with the cooling effects of a major volcanic eruption.

    “a period when (from 1628–1626 BCE) a range of tree-ring evidence around the northern hemisphere indicates unusual growth anomalies plausibly associated with the cooling effects of a major volcanic eruption (e.g. [78–81]).”

    From Integrated Tree-Ring-Radiocarbon High-Resolution Timeframe to Resolve Earlier Second Millennium BCE Mesopotamian Chronology (2016) · cites this paper as [81]

  • All the scientific dating evidence could indicate a likely date for the Santorini/Thera eruption in the later 17th century BCE potentially compatible with the 1628-1626 BCE range.

    “Since we may now remove the Porsuk tree-ring growth anomaly from this discussion (see above), all the scientific dating evidence could therefore indicate a likely date for the Santorini/Thera eruption in the later 17th century BCE potentially compatible with the 1628–1626 BCE range (e.g. [66, 68, 69, 78–81, 89–92]).”

    From Integrated Tree-Ring-Radiocarbon High-Resolution Timeframe to Resolve Earlier Second Millennium BCE Mesopotamian Chronology (2016) · cites this paper as [81]

  • The bristlecone pine chronology has a ring width minimum at 1597 BCE and a frost-damaged ring at 1560 BCE, indicating major volcanic events around these years.

    “the bristlecone pine chronology has a ring width minimum at 1597 BCE and a frost-damaged ring at 1560 BCE ( 32 ), indicating major volcanic events around these years”

    From Annual radiocarbon record indicates 16th century BCE date for the Thera eruption (2018) · cites this paper as [32]

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Authors
Salzer, M. W., & Hughes, M. K.
Affiliations
University of Arizona (US)
ORCID
Venue
Quaternary Research
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
2007-01
Volume
67
Issue
1
Pages
57-68
ISSN
  • 0033-5894 (ISSN-L)
  • 1096-0287
DOI
10.1016/j.yqres.2006.07.004
OpenAlex
W2103124677
Cited by
225
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 34 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 14
FWCI
2.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 3672 d)
Locations
Quaternary Research (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation
  • Institute for Aegean Prehistory
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Tree-ring climate responses
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
Keywords
bristlecone pine, Pinus longaeva, Pinus aristata, volcanic eruptions, explosive volcanism, eruption dating, paleoclimate, Thera eruption

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