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Investigations on the climatic effects of great volcanic eruptions by the method of tree-ring analysis

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Abstract

Great volcanic eruptions that eject much dust into the stratosphere are known to change climatic factors,e.g. temperature and solar radiation. It is known, on the other hand, that superimposed on the normal variation in the size of tree-rings is a variation caused by inequalities of climate. Therefore, the notion that tree-rings may preserve the date of several great volcanic eruptions seems probable. In order to support this statement, numerical investigations have been performed. Treering graphs of two Hungarian trees were compared with the chronological order of great volcanic eruptions. The mathematical correlation between the variation of the dust veil index (DVI) is examined, based on two-variate numerical computation.

It is concluded that during periods subsequent to very great eruptions, exceptionally narrow rings were formed. A remarkable correlation has been found between the variation of mean values of the ring width and that of the dust veil index. Consequently, growth rings of trees in some cases record dates of great volcanic eruptions by responsing to temporary climatic changes caused by volcanic activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Georgiana Observatory, II, Arpád fejedelem utja 40-41, H. 1023, Budapest, Hungary

    Z. Papp

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  1. Z. Papp
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This paper commemorates the 100th anniversary of the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Krakatau in 1883.

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Papp, Z. Investigations on the climatic effects of great volcanic eruptions by the method of tree-ring analysis. Bull Volcanol 46, 89–102 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02597579

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02597579

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