Tree ring width measurements from a single site in New Mexico provide a 326-year chronology extending from 298 to -28 calendar years before present. The NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information archived this paleoclimatology study for dendrochronological research. Data publication occurred in 1978.
Use Cases
- Reconstruct past climate variables like precipitation or temperature by calibrating tree ring width series against instrumental records.
- Analyze growth anomalies in the ring width chronology to identify extreme drought or wet years within the 326-year period.
- Cross-date this chronology with other tree ring collections from the region to validate and extend regional climate reconstructions.
- Study the frequency and magnitude of climate events by performing spectral or wavelet analysis on the annual ring width time series.
Strengths
- Chronology covers a 326-year time period from 298 to -28 BP.
- Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
Limitations
- Data is from a single site (ITRDB NM529), limiting spatial representativeness for regional analysis.
- The record ends at -28 BP (1978 CE), providing no modern context for recent climate change.
- Sample size (number of tree cores) and replication statistics are unknown, affecting confidence in year-to-year values.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) / World Data Service (WDS) for Paleoclimatology.
- Collection Method
- Tree ring measurements collected via dendrochronological field sampling and laboratory analysis.
- Time Range
- 298 to -28 calendar years before present (BP).
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- New Mexico, United States of America.