Colorado Tree-Ring Width Chronology from 750 to 37 BCE

787 annual tree-ring width measurements from Colorado, United States, covering the period from 750 to 37 BCE. This paleoclimatology dataset was archived by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information and is part of the PAGES North America 2K initiative. The data was last updated in the repository in 1987.

Use Cases

• Reconstructing past temperature or precipitation anomalies in Colorado using the annual tree-ring width series.
• Calibrating and validating climate models by comparing simulated past climates with the proxy data from this chronology.
• Analyzing the frequency and severity of historical drought periods in the Southwestern US through ring-width anomalies.
• Cross-dating this chronology with other regional tree-ring records to build a more extensive spatial climate network.

Strengths

• Provides 787 years of continuous annual climate proxy data.
• Covers a specific and extended pre-modern period from 750 to 37 BCE.
• Sourced from the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• Data is geographically limited to a single location in Colorado, USA.
• The last repository update was in 1987, indicating potential staleness in metadata or access methods.
• The raw sample size, species, and replication depth are unknown, affecting confidence in the signal.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree-ring (width) measurements collected and processed for dendrochronological study.

Time Range

750 to -37 calendar years BP (Before Present, where 0 BP = 1950 CE), equating to approximately 750 to 37 BCE.

Freshness

1987-01-01

Geography

Colorado, United States of America.