Starting in 536 A.D., the sun gave no more light than the moon for a period of 15 to 18 months. This disastrous reduction in sunlight produced the worst weather in the last 2000 years. The bad weather continued in varying degrees from 536 until at least 545 A.D. During this time, there were mass migrations, toppled regimes and global famine. The cause of this period of bad weather is a scientific mystery. By studying particulates from ice cores, we can gain new insights into the cause. Our data suggests that some of the bad weather was triggered by dust from an impact-generated explosion, probably in northern Australia. We found tropical to subtropical marine microfossils and nonvolcanic glass in Greenland accompanied by Ni rich particles of extraterrestrial origin. This material was lofted into the atmosphere at low latitudes and subsequently travelled to Greenland.

Visit Coordinator: Earth Science Student Association (ESSA)

(ESSA) is an organization of undergraduate and graduate students in the University of Alabama in Huntsville. ESSA facilitates students' participation in activities related to the Earth System Science program, promotes cohesion among the ESS student body, stimulates their commitment to community outreach, and encourages student initiatives that provide professional development opportunities.