Montana Tree Ring Chronology from 639 to 15 BC

Tree ring width measurements from the Dell Sheep Creek Administrative Site in Montana provide a paleoclimate record spanning 654 years. The chronology covers the period from 639 to 15 calendar years before present, archived by NOAA's World Data Service for Paleoclimatology. This dataset was originally published in 1965.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies by analyzing annual tree-ring width variations.
• Calibrate radiocarbon dating or validate other paleoclimate proxies using this dated tree-ring chronology.
• Study the frequency of climatic extremes, such as droughts, by identifying narrow ring sequences in the time-series.
• Investigate ecological responses to historical climate events through growth patterns recorded in the rings.

Strengths

• 654-year continuous chronology from 639 to 15 BC provides a long-term baseline.
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• The dataset's last update was in 1965, making methodologies potentially outdated.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single site in Montana, reducing regional representativeness.
• Specific measurement parameters, column names, and sample sizes are not provided in the metadata.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology) from core samples.

Time Range

639 to -15 calendar years BP (Before Present).

Freshness

null

Geography

Dell Sheep Creek Administrative Site, Montana, United States.