NOAA NCEI archives a tree ring chronology from Windy Creek, New Zealand, for paleoclimate reconstruction. The data covers a 232-year period from 203 to -29 calendar years before present. This dataset was published by NOAA's World Data Service for Paleoclimatology and last updated in 1979.
Use Cases
- Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies using the tree ring width chronology.
- Calibrate regional climate models by comparing the tree ring proxy record with known historical climate events.
- Analyze growth patterns in the chronology to identify periods of environmental stress or favorable conditions.
Strengths
- Data spans a 232-year period (203 to -29 BP), providing a multi-century climate record.
- Curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).
Limitations
- Temporal coverage is relatively short (232 years) compared to other paleoclimate proxies.
- Data is geographically limited to a single site (Windy Creek, New Zealand), limiting regional generalization.
- The dataset was last updated in 1979, indicating it may not reflect the latest analytical methods.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
- Collection Method
- Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology).
- Time Range
- 203 to -29 calendar years before present (BP).
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Windy Creek, New Zealand.