Mount Cargill Tree Ring Chronology for New Zealand Paleoclimate

Tree ring width measurements from Mount Cargill, New Zealand, provide a 483-year chronology from 458 to -25 calendar years before present. The dataset is archived by NOAA's World Data Service for Paleoclimatology as part of their tree ring study collection. This specific record was last updated in the NOAA system in 1975.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies by analyzing the annual tree ring width series.
• Calibrate radiocarbon dating curves for the New Zealand region using the dated tree ring chronology.
• Study the frequency of extreme climatic events in New Zealand by identifying marker years of exceptionally narrow or wide rings.
• Compare this Southern Hemisphere tree ring series with Northern Hemisphere chronologies to investigate global climate teleconnections.

Strengths

• Chronology spans 483 calendar years, providing a multi-century climate record.
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• The temporal coverage ends at 25 years before present, limiting analysis of the most recent climate period.
• Data is from a single geographic location (Mount Cargill), which may not represent wider regional patterns.
• The record was last updated in 1975, indicating it is a static archive and may not reflect newer scientific interpretations.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology).

Time Range

458 to -25 calendar years BP.

Freshness

Static archive; last updated in NOAA system on 1975-01-01.

Geography

Mount Cargill, New Zealand.