What is Cofecha?

COFECHA is a computer program that assesses the quality of crossdating and measurement accuracy of tree-ring series. Written by Richard L. Holmes in 1982, the program has evolved into one of the most important and widely used in dendrochronology.

What is dendrochronology and how does it work?

Dendrochronology (or tree-ring dating) is the scientific method of dating tree rings (also called growth rings) to the exact year they were formed. A tree’s growth rate changes in a predictable pattern throughout the year in response to seasonal climate changes, resulting in visible growth rings.

How does dendrochronology tell when a tree was cut down?

With the help of the skeleton plot, dendrochronologists find which pattern of narrow rings matches that of the younger, dated tree: allowing them to identify the years in which both trees were alive. By counting backwards from the last overlapping year, dendrochronologists can then determine the age of the older tree.

What type of climate data can be attained from Dendroclimatology?

Dendroclimatology uses tree-ring measurements to reconstruct annually resolved, precisely dated, proxy climate data for periods up to millennia and at spatial scales ranging from single sites to hemispheric.

Why is dendrochronology still used today?

Dendrochronology is an invaluable tool to help scientists determine the age of ancient settlements and artifacts. Archaeologists have a group of unlikely allies: trees. Dendrochronology, the scientific method of studying tree rings, can pinpoint the age of archaeological sites using information stored inside old wood.

Where can dendrochronology be used?

The science of dendrochronology can be used to estimate when a tree was felled or naturally died, if the calendar year dates of tree growth rings can be determined. A tree’s annual growth changes throughout the year in response to seasonal climate changes.

What is dendroclimatology and dendrochronology?

The key difference between dendrochronology and dendroclimatology is that dendrochronology is the study of annual growth rings of trees, while dendroclimatology is the study of the relationships between annual growth rings of trees and past climate conditions or variations. Trees show annual growth rings.

What is dendrochronology and what information does it provide about past climates?

Dendrochronology is a scientific method that uses the annual growth rings on trees to find out the exact year the tree was formed, which helps scientists date events, environmental change, and archaeological artifacts. In temperate climates, a tree will grow one ring each year.

Does dendrochronology work everywhere?

Most dendrochronological work has been done in temperate zones, although some tropical trees have been used. Many of the studies outlined below, however, depend on samples from living, or recently felled, trees.

How is dendrochronology used in studies of past climate?

How reliable is dendrochronology?

It is an accurate and reliable dating method with a large number of uses in environmental studies, archaeology and everything in between. The method has gone from strength to strength and is now a vital method across multiple disciplines.