El Morro Tree Ring Chronology For Paleoclimate Reconstruction

Tree ring width measurements from a site in New Mexico, USA, used for climate reconstruction. The chronology covers a period from 312 to -22 calendar years before present. Data is archived and maintained by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information under its World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Use Cases

• Calibrating climate models by comparing reconstructed past temperatures or precipitation from tree ring width series with instrumental records.
• Analyzing long-term drought frequency and severity in the American Southwest using the tree ring chronology as a proxy for moisture availability.
• Establishing a dated chronology for archaeological sites in the region by cross-dating wood samples with the master tree ring series.
• Investigating the response of tree growth, as recorded in ring width, to specific volcanic or climatic events within the 334-year covered period.

Strengths

• Chronology spans 334 calendar years, providing a multi-century climate record.
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage ends at -22 BP (approximately 1972 CE), making the record stale for recent climate analysis.
• Geographic scope is limited to a single site (El Morro, New Mexico), reducing regional representativeness.
• Specific sample depth, measurement methods, and potential uncertainties are not detailed in the provided metadata.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Collection Method

Tree ring data collected via dendrochronological core sampling and analysis.

Time Range

312 to -22 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

null

Geography

El Morro, New Mexico, United States of America.