Montana Tree Ring Width Data For Paleoclimate Reconstruction

NOAA NCEI archives this tree-ring width dataset from the North Fork Ridge site in Montana, USA. It provides proxy climate data covering a period from 750 to -37 calendar years before present. The data was contributed to the PAGES North America 2K initiative and last updated in the NOAA system in 1987.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct historical temperature or precipitation anomalies for Montana using the tree-ring width time-series.
• Calibrate regional climate models by comparing the proxy data from the 'North Fork Ridge' site with instrumental records.
• Analyze long-term climate trends in the PAGES North America 2K region by integrating this site's chronology with other proxy records.
• Study the frequency of extreme climatic events (e.g., droughts) within the 787-year coverage period indicated by the tree-ring parameter.

Strengths

• Data covers a 787-year period (750 to -37 BP), providing a multi-century climate record.
• Sourced from the authoritative NOAA NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
• Contributes to the standardized PAGES North America 2K continental-scale reconstruction effort.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage ends at -37 BP (approximately 1987 CE), lacking recent decades.
• Data is from a single geographic site ('North Fork Ridge'), limiting spatial representativeness.
• Specific sample depth, measurement methods, and uncertainty metrics are not detailed in the provided description.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree-ring analysis (dendrochronology) measuring ring width.

Time Range

750 to -37 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

null

Geography

North Fork Ridge, Montana, United States of America.