Large changes in biomass burning over the last millennium inferred from paleoatmospheric ethane in polar ice cores
Biomass burning drives changes in greenhouse gases, climate-forcing aerosols, and global atmospheric chemistry. There is controversy about the magnitude and timing of changes in biomass burning emissions on millennial time scales from preindustrial to present and about the relative importance of cli...
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ftcdlib:oai:escholarship.org:ark:/13030/qt9ts8v0gj 2023-10-01T03:51:01+02:00 Large changes in biomass burning over the last millennium inferred from paleoatmospheric ethane in polar ice cores Nicewonger, Melinda R Aydin, Murat Prather, Michael J Saltzman, Eric S 12413 - 12418 2018-12-04 application/pdf https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9ts8v0gj unknown eScholarship, University of California qt9ts8v0gj https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9ts8v0gj public Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol 115, iss 49 Climate Action Biomass Climate Change Ethane Human Activities Humans Ice Cover Models Theoretical Time Factors ice cores biomass burning geologic hydrocarbons Little Ice Age article 2018 ftcdlib 2023-09-04T18:04:49Z Biomass burning drives changes in greenhouse gases, climate-forcing aerosols, and global atmospheric chemistry. There is controversy about the magnitude and timing of changes in biomass burning emissions on millennial time scales from preindustrial to present and about the relative importance of climate change and human activities as the underlying cause. Biomass burning is one of two notable sources of ethane in the preindustrial atmosphere. Here, we present ice core ethane measurements from Antarctica and Greenland that contain information about changes in biomass burning emissions since 1000 CE (Common Era). The biomass burning emissions of ethane during the Medieval Period (1000-1500 CE) were higher than present day and declined sharply to a minimum during the cooler Little Ice Age (1600-1800 CE). Assuming that preindustrial atmospheric reactivity and transport were the same as in the modern atmosphere, we estimate that biomass burning emissions decreased by 30 to 45% from the Medieval Period to the Little Ice Age. The timing and magnitude of this decline in biomass burning emissions is consistent with that inferred from ice core methane stable carbon isotope ratios but inconsistent with histories based on sedimentary charcoal and ice core carbon monoxide measurements. This study demonstrates that biomass burning emissions have exceeded modern levels in the past and may be highly sensitive to changes in climate. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Greenland ice core University of California: eScholarship Greenland |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of California: eScholarship |
op_collection_id |
ftcdlib |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Climate Action Biomass Climate Change Ethane Human Activities Humans Ice Cover Models Theoretical Time Factors ice cores biomass burning geologic hydrocarbons Little Ice Age |
spellingShingle |
Climate Action Biomass Climate Change Ethane Human Activities Humans Ice Cover Models Theoretical Time Factors ice cores biomass burning geologic hydrocarbons Little Ice Age Nicewonger, Melinda R Aydin, Murat Prather, Michael J Saltzman, Eric S Large changes in biomass burning over the last millennium inferred from paleoatmospheric ethane in polar ice cores |
topic_facet |
Climate Action Biomass Climate Change Ethane Human Activities Humans Ice Cover Models Theoretical Time Factors ice cores biomass burning geologic hydrocarbons Little Ice Age |
description |
Biomass burning drives changes in greenhouse gases, climate-forcing aerosols, and global atmospheric chemistry. There is controversy about the magnitude and timing of changes in biomass burning emissions on millennial time scales from preindustrial to present and about the relative importance of climate change and human activities as the underlying cause. Biomass burning is one of two notable sources of ethane in the preindustrial atmosphere. Here, we present ice core ethane measurements from Antarctica and Greenland that contain information about changes in biomass burning emissions since 1000 CE (Common Era). The biomass burning emissions of ethane during the Medieval Period (1000-1500 CE) were higher than present day and declined sharply to a minimum during the cooler Little Ice Age (1600-1800 CE). Assuming that preindustrial atmospheric reactivity and transport were the same as in the modern atmosphere, we estimate that biomass burning emissions decreased by 30 to 45% from the Medieval Period to the Little Ice Age. The timing and magnitude of this decline in biomass burning emissions is consistent with that inferred from ice core methane stable carbon isotope ratios but inconsistent with histories based on sedimentary charcoal and ice core carbon monoxide measurements. This study demonstrates that biomass burning emissions have exceeded modern levels in the past and may be highly sensitive to changes in climate. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Nicewonger, Melinda R Aydin, Murat Prather, Michael J Saltzman, Eric S |
author_facet |
Nicewonger, Melinda R Aydin, Murat Prather, Michael J Saltzman, Eric S |
author_sort |
Nicewonger, Melinda R |
title |
Large changes in biomass burning over the last millennium inferred from paleoatmospheric ethane in polar ice cores |
title_short |
Large changes in biomass burning over the last millennium inferred from paleoatmospheric ethane in polar ice cores |
title_full |
Large changes in biomass burning over the last millennium inferred from paleoatmospheric ethane in polar ice cores |
title_fullStr |
Large changes in biomass burning over the last millennium inferred from paleoatmospheric ethane in polar ice cores |
title_full_unstemmed |
Large changes in biomass burning over the last millennium inferred from paleoatmospheric ethane in polar ice cores |
title_sort |
large changes in biomass burning over the last millennium inferred from paleoatmospheric ethane in polar ice cores |
publisher |
eScholarship, University of California |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9ts8v0gj |
op_coverage |
12413 - 12418 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica Greenland ice core |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica Greenland ice core |
op_source |
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol 115, iss 49 |
op_relation |
qt9ts8v0gj https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9ts8v0gj |
op_rights |
public |
_version_ |
1778530695112556544 |