Alaskan Tree Ring Chronology For Paleoclimate Analysis

Tree ring width data from the Usibelli area of Alaska provides a 222-year chronology from 176 to -46 calendar years before present. This paleoclimatology dataset is archived by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information under its World Data Service. The data collection was last updated in the NOAA system in 1996.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past summer temperatures by analyzing the tree_ring_width parameter as a climate proxy.
• Calibrate the chronology against known volcanic events or climate shifts using the year_bp time index.
• Compare growth anomaly patterns in this ITRDB AK045 series with other boreal tree ring collections for regional climate signal analysis.
• Model the response of northern treeline ecosystems to climate forcing using the dated ring sequences.

Strengths

• Covers a 222-year time period (176 to -46 BP) specific to a high-latitude site.
• Archived and maintained by the authoritative NOAA NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage ends at 46 years before present, lacking modern instrumental overlap for recent calibration.
• Data collection metadata was last updated in 1996, indicating potential staleness in documentation or availability.
• Specific sample depth, replication statistics, and measurement parameters 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 cores collected and measured via standard dendrochronological techniques.

Time Range

176 to -46 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

null

Geography

Usibelli area, Alaska, United States of America.