Articles | Volume 18, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-18-1601-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-18-1601-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
12 Jul 2022
Research article |
| 12 Jul 2022
| 12 Jul 2022
Was there a volcanic-induced long-lasting cooling over the Northern Hemisphere in the mid-6th–7th century?
Evelien van Dijk
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Johann Jungclaus
Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany
Stephan Lorenz
Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany
Claudia Timmreck
Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany
Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Cited
24 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Using reduced-complexity volcanic aerosol and climate models to produce large ensemble simulations of Holocene temperature M. Verkerk et al.
- Volcanism-induced collapse and recovery of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation under glacial conditions G. Vettoretti et al.
- Impact of major tropical volcanic eruptions on air temperatures in the Middle East G. Roshan et al.
- Sea-ice variations and trends during the Common Era in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic Ocean A. Dauner et al.
- The Circulation of Yersinia pestis in Central Eurasia before and during the First Plague Pandemic (Second to Eighth Century CE): Palaeogenetic and Historical Evidence and Sociopolitical, Ecological, and Climatic Factors J. Preiser-Kapeller et al.
- The role of climatic anomalies in agricultural instability and settlement abandonment in northeastern Germany during the migration period K. Alinezhad et al.
- Ice core evidence for major volcanic eruptions at the onset of Dansgaard–Oeschger warming events J. Lohmann & A. Svensson
- The Role of Small to Moderate Volcanic Eruptions in the Early 19th Century Climate S. Fang et al.
- 2000 years of climate, environmental, and societal variability in southeastern Norway from the annually laminated sediments of Lake Sagtjernet E. Ballo et al.
- The AD 536/540 climate event in Sweden – a review E. Anagnostou et al.
- Roman Warm Period and Late Antique Little Ice Age in an Earth System Model Large Ensemble F. Shi et al.
- Decadal-to-centennial increases of volcanic aerosols from Iceland challenge the concept of a Medieval Quiet Period I. Gabriel et al.
- First comprehensive assessment of industrial-era land heat uptake from multiple sources F. García-Pereira et al.
- Sahel Droughts Induced by Large Volcanic Eruptions Over the Last Millennium in PMIP4/Past1000 Simulations J. Villamayor et al.
- Geochemical study and climatic signal within the saline system of Mhabeul (Southwestern Mediterranean Sea): spectral and statistical analysis A. Gammoudi et al.
- The impact of volcanism on Scandinavian climate and human societies during the Holocene: Insights into the Fimbulwinter eruptions (536/540 AD) F. Arthur et al.
- Large Ensemble Particle Filter for Spatial Climate Reconstructions Using a Linear Inverse Model B. Jebri & M. Khodri
- On the additivity of climate responses to the volcanic and solar forcing in the early 19th century S. Fang et al.
- The significance of volcanic ash in Greenland ice cores during the Common Era G. Plunkett et al.
- Climatic and societal impacts in Scandinavia following the 536 and 540 CE volcanic double event E. van Dijk et al.
- Last-millennium volcanic forcing and climate response using SO2 emissions L. Marshall et al.
- Out-of-phase tropical Atlantic–Pacific response after volcanic eruptions over the Last Millennium in PMIP4/past1000 simulations L. Verona et al.
- High-frequency climate forcing causes prolonged cold periods in the Holocene E. van Dijk et al.
- A record of volcanic eruptions over the past 2,200 years from Vostok firn cores, central East Antarctica A. Veres et al.
24 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Using reduced-complexity volcanic aerosol and climate models to produce large ensemble simulations of Holocene temperature M. Verkerk et al.
- Volcanism-induced collapse and recovery of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation under glacial conditions G. Vettoretti et al.
- Impact of major tropical volcanic eruptions on air temperatures in the Middle East G. Roshan et al.
- Sea-ice variations and trends during the Common Era in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic Ocean A. Dauner et al.
- The Circulation of Yersinia pestis in Central Eurasia before and during the First Plague Pandemic (Second to Eighth Century CE): Palaeogenetic and Historical Evidence and Sociopolitical, Ecological, and Climatic Factors J. Preiser-Kapeller et al.
- The role of climatic anomalies in agricultural instability and settlement abandonment in northeastern Germany during the migration period K. Alinezhad et al.
- Ice core evidence for major volcanic eruptions at the onset of Dansgaard–Oeschger warming events J. Lohmann & A. Svensson
- The Role of Small to Moderate Volcanic Eruptions in the Early 19th Century Climate S. Fang et al.
- 2000 years of climate, environmental, and societal variability in southeastern Norway from the annually laminated sediments of Lake Sagtjernet E. Ballo et al.
- The AD 536/540 climate event in Sweden – a review E. Anagnostou et al.
- Roman Warm Period and Late Antique Little Ice Age in an Earth System Model Large Ensemble F. Shi et al.
- Decadal-to-centennial increases of volcanic aerosols from Iceland challenge the concept of a Medieval Quiet Period I. Gabriel et al.
- First comprehensive assessment of industrial-era land heat uptake from multiple sources F. García-Pereira et al.
- Sahel Droughts Induced by Large Volcanic Eruptions Over the Last Millennium in PMIP4/Past1000 Simulations J. Villamayor et al.
- Geochemical study and climatic signal within the saline system of Mhabeul (Southwestern Mediterranean Sea): spectral and statistical analysis A. Gammoudi et al.
- The impact of volcanism on Scandinavian climate and human societies during the Holocene: Insights into the Fimbulwinter eruptions (536/540 AD) F. Arthur et al.
- Large Ensemble Particle Filter for Spatial Climate Reconstructions Using a Linear Inverse Model B. Jebri & M. Khodri
- On the additivity of climate responses to the volcanic and solar forcing in the early 19th century S. Fang et al.
- The significance of volcanic ash in Greenland ice cores during the Common Era G. Plunkett et al.
- Climatic and societal impacts in Scandinavia following the 536 and 540 CE volcanic double event E. van Dijk et al.
- Last-millennium volcanic forcing and climate response using SO2 emissions L. Marshall et al.
- Out-of-phase tropical Atlantic–Pacific response after volcanic eruptions over the Last Millennium in PMIP4/past1000 simulations L. Verona et al.
- High-frequency climate forcing causes prolonged cold periods in the Holocene E. van Dijk et al.
- A record of volcanic eruptions over the past 2,200 years from Vostok firn cores, central East Antarctica A. Veres et al.
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 30 Apr 2026
Short summary
A double volcanic eruption in 536 and 540 CE caused one of the coldest decades during the last 2000 years. We analyzed new climate model simulations from that period and found a cooling of up to 2°C and a sea-ice extent up to 200 km further south. Complex interactions between sea ice and ocean circulation lead to a reduction in the northward ocean heat transport, which makes the sea ice extend further south; this in turn leads to a surface cooling up to 20 years after the eruptions.
A double volcanic eruption in 536 and 540 CE caused one of the coldest decades during the last...
