Climate, vegetation, and society impacts in Scandinavia following the 536/540 CE volcanic double event

• DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-11966
• Publication Date: 2022-03-28T07:47:53Z
• Authors: Evelien van Dijk; Ingar Mørkestøl G...; Anna de Bode; Helge Høeg; Kjetil Loftsgarden; Frode Iversen; Claudia Timmreck; Johann Jungclaus; Kirstin Krüger
• Keywords: 13. Climate action; 15. Life on land

<p>The mid-6<sup>th</sup> century is an outstanding period in climate history featuring one of the coldest decades past 2000 years. It was triggered by 536/540 CE volcanic double event, creating strongest decadal forcing last two millennia. <span>T</span>h<span>e centuries the</span> first millennium <span>are</span> characterized great societal <span>changes</span>, including ending antiquity and beginning early medieval state formations, a process believed to have been reinforced LALIA Justinian Plague. However, less known about causal relationships between global cooling, regional climate, local changes Scandinavia after this event. Here we aim improve understanding combining growing-degree-day (GDD) modeling for southern Norway.</p><p>We use PMIP4 past2k 6<sup>th</sup>-7<sup>th </sup> (520-680 CE) MPI-ESM ensemble simulations, analyze atmospheric circulation surface as response focusing on S<span>candinavia</span>. The mean reveals significant cooling up 2K, accompanied reduced precipitation 25% over during growing season. single model <span>realizations </span>show slight warming increased reflecting different patterns years following eruptions. Three sites are selected GDD case study, representing weather regimes Southern Norway, which then driven with data input. high-resolution compared archaeological- pollen records, shed more light vegetation, society impacts Norway. We discuss likely based spread, change patterns, archaeological records.</p>