Showing papers by "Mark A. J. Curran published in 2001"
TL;DR: A record of volcanic activity over the period A.D. 1301-1995 has been extracted from three Law Dome ice cores (East Antarctica) as discussed by the authors, and the record dating is unambiguous at the annual level.
Abstract: A record of volcanic activity over the period A.D. 1301–1995 has been extracted from three Law Dome ice cores (East Antarctica). The record dating is unambiguous at the annual level from A.D. 1807 to 1995 and has an uncertainty of ±1 year at A.D. 1301. Signals from 20 eruptions are preserved in the record, including those of two unknown eruptions with acid deposition beginning in A.D. 1810.8 and A.D. 1685.8. The beginning of the ice core signal from the A.D. 1815 Tambora eruption is observed in the austral summer of A.D. 1816/1817. The mean observed stratospheric transport and deposition time to Law Dome from the eruption site is 1.5 years (σ = 0.6 years) from 11 well-dated eruptions. The largest eruption observed in the Law Dome record has its maximum in A.D. 1460 with volcanic sulfate deposition beginning in the austral winter of A.D. 1459. This event is also observed in other ice core records and is attributed to the volcano Kuwae, with an eruption date in the range A.D. 1455.9–1459.9 if all sources of error are considered. This is at least three years later than the date previously ascribed by dendrochronological and historical studies.
87 citations
TL;DR: These robust, ultra-clean IC methods were routinely applied to the analysis of large number of samples to produce a high-resolution trace ion ice core record from Law Dome, East Antarctica.
52 citations
TL;DR: A precision-dated ice-core nitrate record from Law Dome, coastal East Antarctica is compared to the timing of known solar proton events and geomagnetic storms over the period 1888 to 1995 as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: A precision-dated ice-core nitrate record from Law Dome, coastal East Antarctica is compared to the timing of known solar proton events and geomagnetic storms over the period 1888 to 1995. We find statistical evidence for a significant (P < 0.03) but small elevation in mean nitrate concentrations following the solar events (∼11% over the 12 months beginning 3 months post-event). While some solar events are identifiable in the nitrate record, most are not distinguishable from the background noisy signal (which has numerous large peaks), and some solar events show no nitrate elevation above even mean levels.
37 citations
TL;DR: In this article, high resolution firn core records of the oxygen isotope ratio (6"O) and trace chemical species were extracted from a high accumulation site on Law Dome, East Antarctica.
Abstract: High resolution firn core records of the oxygen isotope ratio (6"O) and trace chemical species were extracted from a high accumulation site on Law Dome, East Antarctica. Inter-core comparisons were conducted and regional events identified in cores 5 km apart. High resolution dating of one of the firn cores was established using a co-located Automatic Weather Station (AWS) equipped with a snow accumulation sensor, allowing dating of individual precipitation events in the firn core record. Variations in the 6l80 and trace chemical records were compared with meteorological conditions at the mesoscale and the synoptic-scale. Particular focus was given to an abrupt change in sea salt concentrations and 6'*0 withm a depth range that appears from AWS accumulation data to have been deposited over a 24 hour period. The abrupt change in the firn core record was found to be consistent with an abrupt change in meteorological conditions. Direct comparisons between high resolution firn core records and meteorological conditions will greatly facilitate the interpretation of signals preserved in deep ice cores.
28 citations