What caused terrestrial dust loading and climate downturns between 533 and 540 A.D.?

Sn-rich particles, Ni-rich particles and cosmic spherules are found together at four stratigraphic levels in the GISP2 ice core between 360 and 362 meters depth. Using a previously derived calendar-year time scale, these particles span a time of increased dust loading of the Earth's atmosphere between 533 and 540 A.D. The Sn enrichments suggest a cometary source for the dust. The late spring timing of extraterrestrial input best matches the Eta Aquarid meteor shower associated with comet 1P/Halley. The increased flux of cometary dust could explain a modest climate downturn in 533 A.D. The profound global dimming during 536 and 537 A.D. cannot be explained merely by a combination of cometary dust and a modest volcanic eruption. We found tropical marine microfossils at the end 535-start 536 A.D. level that we attribute to a low-latitude explosion in the ocean. This additional source of dust is probably needed to explain the solar dimming in 536-537 A.D. In addition, we found high-latitude marine diatoms and silicoflagellates at a second time horizon, circa 538 A.D. Some of the fossils are pre-Pleistocene in age, as old as Eocene. Both of these fossil-bearing stratigraphic levels contain enrichments of nitrate and ammonium in their supernatant water.