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The Taupo eruption occurred in 232 ± 10 CE, and not later
Abstract
The Taupo eruption1 deposit is an isochronous marker bed that spans much of New Zealand’s North Island and pre-dates human arrival² . Holdaway et al. (2018; HDK18 hereafter)³ propose that the current Taupo eruption date is inaccurate and that the eruption occurred “…decades to two centuries…” after the published wiggle-match estimate of 232 ± 10 CE (2 s.d.)⁴ derived from a tanekaha (Phyllocladus trichomanoides) tree at the Pureora buried forest Site⁵,⁶. HDK18 propose that trees growing at Pureora (and other near-source areas) that were killed and buried by the climactic ignimbrite event were affected by ¹⁴C-depleted (magmatic) CO₂. HDK18’s proposal utilises a wide range of published ¹⁴C data, but their work results in assertions that are implausible. Four parts to their hypothesis are considered here
Type
Journal Article
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Hogg, A. G., Wilson, C. J. N., Lowe, D. J., Turney, C. S. M., White, P., Lorrey, A. M., … Petchey, F. (in press). The Taupo eruption occurred in 232 ± 10 CE, and not later. Nature Communications.
Date
2018
Publisher
Nature Research