779 calendar years before present of tree ring width data from Virginia, USA, compiled by David Stahle and archived by NOAA NCEI's World Data Service for Paleoclimatology. This dataset supports the reconstruction of past environmental conditions. The original study was published in 1984.
Use Cases
- Reconstruct annual precipitation or drought indices for Virginia using the tree ring width chronology.
- Calibrate climate models by comparing the tree ring proxy record with instrumental data from the region.
- Analyze the frequency of extreme climatic events, such as multi-year droughts, within the 813-year time series.
- Study the response of tree growth, as captured in ring width, to known historical volcanic eruptions or other forcing events.
Strengths
- 813-year continuous chronology from 779 to 34 BC.
- Data is curated and archived by NOAA's authoritative World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
Limitations
- Single geographic location (Nottoway River, Virginia) limits spatial representativeness.
- Data has not been updated since its original publication in 1984.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) World Data Service (WDS) for Paleoclimatology.
- Collection Method
- Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology) of samples from the Nottoway River area.
- Time Range
- 779 to -34 calendar years BP (Before Present, where 0 BP = 1950 CE), covering approximately 813 years.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Virginia, United States Of America.