NOAA NCEI archives a tree-ring chronology dataset from the Hihitahi site in New Zealand for paleoclimate research. The data cover a 560-year period from 519 to 41 calendar years before present. This study was published by the NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology, with a record last updated in 1991.
Use Cases
- Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies by calibrating tree-ring width measurements against modern instrumental records.
- Analyze growth patterns and climate sensitivity of the sampled tree species from the Hihitahi site.
- Validate or compare climate model simulations for the New Zealand region over the 560-year period from 519 to 41 BC.
- Establish a dated chronology for archaeological or geological studies in the region using the tree-ring time series.
Strengths
- Covers a 560-year time period (519 to 41 BC) for long-term trend analysis.
- Sourced from the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
Limitations
- Data record was last updated in 1991, indicating potential staleness and lack of recent methodological revisions.
- Geographic scope is limited to a single site (Hihitahi) in New Zealand, reducing regional representativeness.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), World Data Service (WDS) for Paleoclimatology.
- Collection Method
- Tree ring sampling and analysis (dendrochronology).
- Time Range
- 519 to -41 calendar years before present (BP).
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Hihitahi, New Zealand.