Mount Rainier Tree Ring Chronology from 252 to -42 BP

294 calendar years of tree ring data from Tsuga mertensiana (mountain hemlock) trees near Mount Rainier, Washington. The dataset was archived by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information under its Paleoclimatology program. This tree-ring chronology was last updated in 1992.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past climate variables like temperature or precipitation using the annual tree-ring width series.
• Calibrate the tree-ring chronology against known climate events within the 294-year period.
• Analyze growth patterns of Tsuga mertensiana in response to environmental stressors over time.
• Compare this local chronology with other regional tree-ring datasets to assess spatial climate patterns.

Strengths

• Covers a 294-year time period from 252 to -42 calendar years before present.
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
• Focuses on a specific species (Tsuga mertensiana) and location (Mount Rainier, Washington) for precise analysis.

Limitations

• The dataset is temporally stale, with a last update date of 1992, potentially missing newer methodological refinements.
• The exact sample size (number of tree cores), measurement variables, and data granularity are unspecified in the provided metadata.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single site in Washington State, which may not be representative of broader regional trends.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology) of Tsuga mertensiana (mountain hemlock) samples.

Time Range

252 to -42 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

null

Geography

Mount Rainier, Washington, United States of America.