Rhyolite Canyon Tree Ring Chronology From 310 BC

347 calendar years of tree ring data, from 310 to -37 years before present (BP), covering the period approximately 310 BC to 37 AD. The dataset contains parameters from tree rings of Douglas-fir (PSME) trees in Rhyolite Canyon, Arizona. It is an archived paleoclimatology study from the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, originally published in 1987.

Use Cases

• Reconstructing past climate variables like temperature or precipitation using tree ring width measurements.
• Calibrating radiocarbon dates or establishing chronologies for archaeological sites in the Arizona region using the dated tree ring series.
• Analyzing long-term growth patterns and responses to environmental stressors in Douglas-fir (PSME) populations.

Strengths

• Covers a 347-year time period, providing a multi-century environmental record.
• Data is archived and curated by the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• Data is temporally stale, with a last update recorded in 1987, potentially lacking modern reanalysis.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single canyon site in Arizona, limiting broader regional inferences.
• Specific parameters, sample size, and measurement methodologies are not detailed in the provided description.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology) of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii, PSME) samples.

Time Range

310 to -37 calendar years BP (approximately 310 BC to 37 AD).

Freshness

1987-01-01

Geography

Rhyolite Canyon, Arizona, United States of America.