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Comprehensive Record of Volcanic Eruptions in the Holocene (11,000 years) From the WAIS Divide, Antarctica Ice Core

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Cole‐Dai, Jihong, Ferris, David G., Kennedy, Joshua A., Sigl, Michael, McConnell, Joseph R., Fudge, T. J., Geng, Lei, Maselli, Olivia J. +2 more·2021·Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
DOI 10.1029/2020jd032855
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Abstract

A comprehensive record (WHV2020) of explosive volcanic eruptions in the last 11,000 years is reconstructed from the West Antarctica Ice Sheet Divide deep ice core (WDC). The chronological list of 426 large volcanic eruptions in the Southern Hemisphere and the low latitudes during the Holocene are of the highest quality of all volcanic records from ice cores, owing to the high‐resolution chemical measurement of the ice core and the exceptionally accurate WDC timescale. No apparent trend is found in the frequency (number of eruptions per millennium) of volcanic eruptions, and the number of eruptions in the most recent millennium (1,000–2,000 CE) is only slightly higher than the average in the last 11 millennia. The atmospheric aerosol mass loading of climate‐impacting sulfur, estimated from measured volcanic sulfate deposition, is dominated by explosive eruptions with extraordinarily high sulfur mass loading. Signals of three major volcanic eruptions are detected in the second half of the 17th century (1700–1600) BCE when the Thera volcano in the eastern Mediterranean was suspected to have erupted; the fact that these signals are synchronous with three volcanic eruptions detected in Greenland ice cores suggests that these are likely eruptions in the low latitudes and none should be attributed exclusively to Thera. A number of eruptions with very high sulfur mass loading took place shortly before and during an early Holocene climatic episode, the so‐called 8.2 ka event, and are speculated to have contributed to the initiation and magnitude of the cold event.

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  • In combination with other recent data and reassessments, this finding removes many past positions or suggestions for the date of the Thera eruption (e.g. mid to later 17th century BCE, 1640s-1620s BCE) as now unlikely or not possible.

    “In combination with other recent data and reassessments [14,70,150], this finding removes many past positions or suggestions for the date of the Thera eruption (e.g.several past suggestions for a date in the mid to later 17 th century BCE, 1640s-1620s BCE) as now unlikely or not possible”

    From Second Intermediate Period date for the Thera (Santorini) eruption and historical implications (2022) · cites this paper as [150]

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Authors
Cole‐Dai, J., Ferris, D. G., Kennedy, J. A., Sigl, M., McConnell, J. R., Fudge, T. J., Geng, L., Maselli, O. J., Taylor, K. C., & Souney, J. M.
Affiliations
  • South Dakota State University (US)
  • Dartmouth College (US)
  • University of Bern (CH)
  • Desert Research Institute (US)
  • University of Washington (US)
  • University of Science and Technology of China (CN)
  • University of New Hampshire (US)
Corresponding author
Cole‐Dai, Jihong
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
Publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Published
2021-03-29
Volume
126
Issue
7
ISSN
  • 0148-0227 (ISSN-L)
  • 2169-897X
  • 2169-8996
DOI
10.1029/2020jd032855
OpenAlex
W3135924991
Cited by
101
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 26
FWCI
7.79
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Open PRAIRIE (South Dakota State University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • BORIS (University Library Bern) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Open Access CRIS of the University of Bern
Funders
  • Division of Earth Sciences (0538553, Unassigned, 0612461, 0839093, 1142166, 0230396, 0440817, 0944348)
  • H2020 European Research Council (820047, Unassigned)
  • South Dakota State University (Unassigned, United States)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Atmospheric aerosols and clouds
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Cryospheric studies and observations
Keywords
explosive eruptions, WAIS Divide ice core, eruption frequency, eruption chronology, Thera eruption, 8.2 ka event, atmospheric aerosols

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