The University of Helsinki, Natural Resources Institute Finland, and the University of Oulu collaborated to find evidence in tree rings for the first time of an increase in radiocarbon concentrations after the Carrington storm. This discovery is significant because it sheds light on how the atmosphere and carbon cycle functioned before humans began burning fossil fuels, enabling the development of more accurate models of the movement of carbon in our surroundings.
The study also revealed a notable difference in radiocarbon levels between trees from Lapland and those from lower latitudes, suggesting that the excess of radiocarbon caused by the solar flare was primarily transported to the lower atmosphere through northern regions. This finding contradicts the general understanding of its movement and highlights the importance of understanding atmospheric dynamics and the carbon cycle from the time before human-generated activities.