Source of the great A.D. 1257 mystery eruption unveiled, Samalas volcano, Rinjani Volcanic Complex, Indonesia

Article Article scientifique Article Source of the great A.D. 1257 mystery eruption unveiled, Samalas volcano, Rinjani Volcanic Complex, Indonesia eng 2013 author Lavigne F. author Degeai J.-P. author Komorowski J.-C. author Guillet Sébastien 866180 author Robert V. author Lahitte P. author Oppenheimer C. author Stoffel Markus 131626 author Vidal C. M. author Surono I author Pratomo I. author Wassmer Pierre Alain 28826 author Hajdas I. author Hadmoko D. S. author de Belizal E. 16742-16747 10.1073/pnas.1307520110 0027-8424 http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1307520110 Polar ice core records attest to a colossal volcanic eruption that took place ca. A.D. 1257 or 1258, most probably in the tropics. Estimates based on sulfate deposition in these records suggest that it yielded the largest volcanic sulfur release to the stratosphere of the past 7,000 y. Tree rings, medieval chronicles, and computational models corroborate the expected worldwide atmospheric and climatic effects of this eruption. However, until now there has been no convincing candidate for the mid-13th century “mystery eruption.” Drawing upon compelling evidence from stratigraphic and geomorphic data, physical volcanology, radiocarbon dating, tephra geochemistry, and chronicles, we argue the source of this long-sought eruption is the Samalas volcano, adjacent to Mount Rinjani on Lombok Island, Indonesia. At least 40 km3 (dense-rock equivalent) of tephra were deposited and the eruption column reached an altitude of up to 43 km. Three principal pumice fallout deposits mantle the region and thick pyroclastic flow deposits are found at the coast, 25 km from source. With an estimated magnitude of 7, this event ranks among the largest Holocene explosive eruptions. Radiocarbon dates on charcoal are consistent with a mid-13th century eruption. In addition, glass geochemistry of the associated pumice deposits matches that of shards found in both Arctic and Antarctic ice cores, providing compelling evidence to link the prominent A.D. 1258/1259 ice core sulfate spike to Samalas. We further constrain the timing of the mystery eruption based on tephra dispersal and historical records, suggesting it occurred between May and October A.D. 1257. Dewey 333.7-333.9 18 Institut des sciences de l'environnement 0DB false Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110 42 b29bcd04-b339-48aa-9735-a021d0d0d1e5 Article (Published version) Restricted Lavigne2013.pdf 1554128 application/pdf restrictedAccess Centres et instituts / Institut des sciences de l'environnement

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Source of the great A.D. 1257 mystery eruption unveiled, Samalas volcano, Rinjani Volcanic Complex, Indonesia	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences			2013	535	0

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Wassmer, Pierre Alain