1000 Years of Solar Activity Reconstructed via Radiocarbon: Unveiling Past Sunspot Cycles

A study published on arXiv on January 23, 2026, reconstructs solar activity cycles during the first millennium CE using radiocarbon (¹⁴C) dating data. The research details how understanding past solar activity variations contributes to modern solar physics.

The research team, led by Ilya Usoskin, estimated the fluctuations of sunspot activity over the past millennium by analyzing ¹⁴C isotope ratios. This method allows for a detailed capture of solar activity strength and periodicity even in eras without sunspot records. Consequently, valuable data is obtained to deepen the understanding of phenomena dependent on solar activity, such as Earth’s climate change and cosmic ray exposure.

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