Alaska Tree Ring Chronology from 229 to -36 BP

Tree ring data from Kodiak Island, Alaska, provides a climate proxy record spanning 265 years from 229 to -36 calendar years before present. The dataset was archived by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information under its Paleoclimatology program. This specific chronology was last updated in 1986.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies by analyzing the annual tree-ring width series.
• Calibrate radiocarbon dating or other chronological models using the dated tree-ring sequence.
• Study the response of subarctic tree growth to volcanic events or other climate forcings within the recorded time period.
• Compare this coastal Alaskan chronology with interior records to analyze spatial climate patterns over centuries.

Strengths

• Time series covers a distinct 265-year period from 229 to -36 BP.
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• The dataset is temporally stale, with a last update date of 1986, potentially missing modern reanalysis or calibration.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single site (Fork Twin Creek, Kodiak Island), reducing regional representativeness.
• The exact sample size (number of tree cores), measurement parameters, and potential measurement uncertainty are unknown from the provided description.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology), likely measuring ring widths or densities from core samples.

Time Range

229 to -36 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

null

Geography

Fork Twin Creek, Kodiak Island, Alaska, United States.