Swiss Tree Ring Chronology for Paleoclimate Reconstruction

Tree ring width measurements from a site in Lauenen, Switzerland, used for climate reconstruction. The chronology covers a period from 249 to -26 calendar years before present. This archived study is provided by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information under the World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Use Cases

• Calibrate climate models by correlating tree ring width measurements with historical temperature and precipitation records.
• Reconstruct past climate anomalies by analyzing the variance and trends in the annual ring width series.
• Establish a regional dendrochronological master chronology for cross-dating other Swiss tree ring samples.
• Study the response of Alpine tree growth to documented volcanic or climatic events within the 275-year time span.

Strengths

• Covers a 275-year time period from 249 to -26 calendar years BP, providing a multi-century climate record.
• Sourced from the authoritative NOAA NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology, ensuring archival stability and metadata standards.

Limitations

• Data is temporally stale, with a last update recorded in 1976, potentially missing modern analytical refinements.
• Geographic scope is limited to a single site (Lauenen, Switzerland), reducing generalizability for broader regional analysis.
• Specific sample size, measurement parameters, and potential measurement noise are not detailed in the provided metadata.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring core samples analyzed to measure ring widths, forming a dendrochronological chronology.

Time Range

From 249 to -26 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

null

Geography

Lauenen, Switzerland, Western Europe.