Tree ring width data from snags of western hemlock trees in Washington's Copalis River area provides a 376-year climate proxy record. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information archives this paleoclimatology study for the World Data Service. The chronology covers the period from 645 to 270 calendar years before present.
Use Cases
- Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies by calibrating tree ring width series against modern climate data.
- Cross-date archaeological wood samples from the Pacific Northwest using the established tree ring chronology.
- Analyze growth patterns and disturbance events recorded in the western hemlock snag series.
- Validate regional climate model simulations for past centuries using this proxy record.
Strengths
- 376-year continuous chronology from 645 to 270 BP.
- Data archived by NOAA NCEI, a authoritative World Data Service node.
Limitations
- Sample size and replication depth for each year are unknown from metadata.
- The 'calendar years before present' timescale requires conversion for analysis with Common Era datasets.
- Geographic coverage is limited to a single river area in Washington.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
- Collection Method
- Dendrochronological analysis of western hemlock (THPL) snags.
- Time Range
- 645 to 270 calendar years before present.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Copalis River, Washington, United States.