NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology archives a tree ring dataset from the Eureka Summit site in Alaska. The chronology covers 329 years, from 296 to -33 calendar years before present. The data is maintained by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information and was last updated in 1983.
Use Cases
- Reconstruct historical temperature or precipitation anomalies using the tree ring width chronology.
- Calibrate climate models by comparing the tree ring proxy data with instrumental records for the Alaskan region.
- Analyze growth patterns in the chronology to identify extreme climatic events like volcanic eruptions or droughts.
- Establish a dated tree ring series for cross-referencing and validating other paleoclimate archives from the North Pacific.
Strengths
- 329-year chronology providing a multi-century paleoclimate record.
- Geographically specific data from a single site (Eureka Summit, Alaska).
- Hosted and archived by the authoritative NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.
Limitations
- Temporal coverage ends at -33 BP (approximately 33 BCE), lacking data for the Common Era.
- Data is from a single geographic site, limiting spatial representativeness for broader Alaska.
- The dataset's last update was in 1983, indicating potential staleness in metadata or documentation.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
- Collection Method
- Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology), likely measuring ring widths to build a chronology.
- Time Range
- 296 to -33 calendar years before present (BP).
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Eureka Summit, Alaska, United States of America.