Search

Using new and published marine fossil radiocarbon (14C/C) measurements, a tracer uniquely sensitive to circulation and air-sea gas exchange, we establish several benchmarks for Atlantic, Southern, and Pacific deep-sea circulation and ventilation since the last ice age. We find the most 14C-depleted water in glacial Pacific bottom depths, rather than the mid-depths as they are today, which is best explained by a slowdown in glacial deep-sea overturning in addition to a "flipped" glacial Pacific overturning configuration. These observations cannot be produced by changes in air-sea gas exchange alone, and they underscore the major role for changes in the overturning circulation for glacial deep-sea carbon storage in the vast Pacific abyss and the concomitant drawdown of atmospheric CO2.

The Eldgjá eruption is the largest basalt lava flood of the Common Era. It has been linked to a major ice‐core sulfur (S) spike in 939–940 CE and Northern Hemisphere summer cooling in 940 CE. Despite its magnitude and potential climate impacts, uncertainties remain concerning the eruption timeline, atmospheric dispersal of emitted volatiles, and coincident volcanism in Iceland and elsewhere. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of Greenland ice‐cores from 936 to 943 CE, revealing a complex volatile record and cryptotephra with numerous geochemical populations. Transitional alkali basalt tephra matching Eldgjá are found in 939–940 CE, while tholeiitic basalt shards present in 936/937 CE and 940/941 CE are compatible with contemporaneous Icelandic eruptions from Grímsvötn and Bárðarbunga‐Veiðivötn systems (including V‐Sv tephra). We also find four silicic tephra populations, one of which we link to the Jala Pumice of Ceboruco (Mexico) at 941 ± 1 CE. Triple S isotopes, Δ33S, spanning 936–940 CE are indicative of upper tropospheric/lower stratospheric transport of aerosol sourced from the Icelandic fissure eruptions. However, anomalous Δ33S (down to −0.4‰) in 940–941 CE evidence stratospheric aerosol transport consistent with summer surface cooling revealed by tree‐ring reconstructions. Tephra associated with the anomalous Δ33S have a variety of compositions, complicating the attribution of climate cooling to Eldgjá alone. Nevertheless, our study confirms a major S emission from Eldgjá in 939–940 CE and implicates Eldgjá and a cluster of eruptions as triggers of summer cooling, severe winters, and privations in ∼940 CE. Plain Language Summary: The eruption of Eldgjá in the tenth century is the largest lava flood in the history of Iceland. Although Eldgjá emitted immense volumes of ash, lava, and gas, the exact timing and duration of this eruption, as well as its environmental and climatic impact remain unclear. Here, we provide a comprehensive chemical analysis of Greenland ice‐core records spanning the period 936–943 CE. We identify volcanic ash from at least three different Icelandic eruptions and confirm that there was a major ash and gas emission from Eldgjá in 939 CE. Using tree ring temperature estimates we find strong evidence for Northern Hemisphere climate cooling in the summer of 940 CE. However, the variety of volcanic ash identified in the ice‐cores shows that several Icelandic and Northern Hemisphere arc volcanoes were also erupting in this period. While Eldgjá remains the prime candidate, these additional eruptions complicate the attribution of reported climate and societal changes to Eldgjá alone. Ultimately, our study sheds new light on a cluster of volcanic eruptions between 936 and 943 CE and highlights the challenges of disentangling the individual contributions of multiple eruptions on the environment and climate. Key Points: New analyses of Greenland ice‐core records of volcanism between 936 and 943 CEIcelandic eruptions from Grímsvötn and Bárðarbunga‐Veiðivötn detected between 936 and 941 CE, and major Eldgjá emission in 939–940 CEVarious silicic eruptions identified, including the Jala Pumice (Mexico), providing new and valuable trans‐continental tephra isochrons [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glacial-state greenhouse gas concentrations and Southern Hemisphere climate conditions persisted until ∼17.7 ka, when a nearly synchronous acceleration in deglaciation was recorded in paleoclimate proxies in large parts of the Southern Hemisphere, with many changes ascribed to a sudden poleward shift in the Southern Hemisphere westerlies and subsequent climate impacts. We used high-resolution chemical measurements in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide, Byrd, and other ice cores to document a unique, ∼192-y series of halogen-rich volcanic eruptions exactly at the start of accelerated deglaciation, with tephra identifying the nearby Mount Takahe volcano as the source. Extensive fallout from these massive eruptions has been found >2,800 km from Mount Takahe. Sulfur isotope anomalies and marked decreases in ice core bromine consistent with increased surface UV radiation indicate that the eruptions led to stratospheric ozone depletion. Rather than a highly improbable coincidence, circulation and climate changes extending from the Antarctic Peninsula to the subtropics-similar to those associated with modern stratospheric ozone depletion over Antarctica-plausibly link the Mount Takahe eruptions to the onset of accelerated Southern Hemisphere deglaciation ∼17.7 ka.

Boron isotope ratios (δ11B) are used across the Earth Sciences and are increasing analyzed by Multi‐Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (MC‐ICPMS). Accurate δ11B MC‐ICPMS analysis requires boron purification from the sample matrix using ion‐exchange column chromatography. However, the traditional gravity‐drip column method is time‐consuming and prone to airborne contamination due to its long duration and open resin surface. To address these issues, we designed a novel, simple, and reliable column chromatography technique called "peri‐columns." This method uses a peristaltic pump to generate vacuum on a commonly used column set up. This method uses sealed collection beakers and does not require solutions to pass through pump tubing, minimizing contamination. The duration is reduced by eight‐fold, processing 12 samples in just 1.5 hr. It also yields low and consistent total procedural blanks, averaging 11 pg. The efficiency and efficacy of this method were tested by repeated boron purification from calcium carbonate and high‐sodium matrices with international and in‐house reference materials. The results matched those obtained using the gravity column method and fell within our laboratory long‐term and international certified values. The mean δ11B and 2SD (standard deviation) of repeatedly processed NIST 8301f were 14.57 ± 0.26‰ (n = 31), NIST 8301c was 24.19 ± 0.33‰ (n = 10), STAiG‐F1 was 16.20 ± 0.26‰ (n = 13), and seawater was 39.52 ± 0.32‰ (n = 10). All the components of our techniques are commercially available, and it is easily adaptable to other laboratories and isotope systems. Plain Language Summary: Scientists use boron isotope ratios to study changes in seawater acidity, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, pollution, and volatile cycling in the Earth. To measure these changes, they need to purify boron from a carbonate matrix, such as foraminifera and coral fossils or seawater, using ion‐exchange column chromatography. However, the traditional gravity‐drip column method is time‐consuming and prone to airborne contamination. To address this issue, we developed a new technique called "peri‐columns," where we connect manufactured columns to a peristaltic pump. The pump creates a vacuum, which pulls the liquid through columns faster than gravity. This new method is around eight times faster than the existing gravity method and, due to the shorter timescale and the closed nature of the columns, produces lower levels of contamination. We tested this technique using several international and in‐house reference materials and found that it produced the same boron isotope ratio results as the traditional method but faster and cleaner. Key Points: New peristaltic pump‐based boron ion‐exchange column chromatography achieving eight‐fold faster boron separationThis technique produces lower total procedure boron blanks than gravity columns [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]