Br. Gervais et Gm. Macdonald, Tree-ring and summer-temperature response to volcanic aerosol forcing at the northern tree-line, Kola Peninsula, Russia, HOLOCENE, 11(4), 2001, pp. 499-505
Potential linkages between volcanic activity and a 403-year record of Pinus
sylvestris L. (Scots pine) growth and summer temperatures estimated from t
ree-ring widths are evaluated from an Arctic tree-line site on the Kola Pen
insula, northwestern Russia. The joint occurrence of volcanic eruptions and
severe negative ring-width values is more than four times that expected by
chance. A composite average of temperatures indicates that a 0.72 degreesC
temperature reduction is typical for the year immediately following volcan
ic eruptions, while tree growth is reduced for up to two decades. The Green
land Ice Sheet Project 2 (GISP2) volcanic sulphate record shows a small but
significant correlation with summer temperatures. Volcanic aerosols origin
ating at low and middle latitudes appear to cause the greatest ring-width r
eduction and cooling.