Deer Creek Pass Tree Ring Chronology from 448 to 37 BCE

448 tree-ring width measurements from a Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) site in Washington state, USA, covering the period from 448 to 37 BCE. The dataset was archived by NOAA's World Data Service for Paleoclimatology and is associated with the International Tree-Ring Data Bank. The data were last updated in the NOAA system in 1987.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies by calibrating the tree-ring width series against modern instrumental records.
• Analyze the frequency and severity of drought events in Washington state during the 5th to 1st centuries BCE using the annual resolution of the ring-width data.
• Cross-date this chronology with other regional tree-ring series to validate dating accuracy and identify widespread climatic events.
• Study the growth response of Pseudotsuga menziesii to climatic drivers during the late Holocene period covered by this dataset.

Strengths

• Covers a 486-year continuous period from 448 to 37 BCE, providing a multi-century climate proxy.
• Data is part of the authoritative International Tree-Ring Data Bank (ITRDB) collection hosted by NOAA NCEI.

Limitations

• The dataset contains a single chronology from one tree species at one location, limiting spatial representativeness.
• The last update date is 1987, indicating the core data is several decades old and may not reflect more recent methodological standards.
• Sample size (number of individual tree cores) is unknown, which affects the statistical robustness of the chronology.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree-ring cores collected and measured using dendrochronological techniques, processed into a standardized chronology.

Time Range

448 to 37 BCE (calendar years before present).

Freshness

Last updated in 1987; static archival record.

Geography

Deer Creek Pass, Washington, United States of America.