Dendrochronology

Dendrochronology or tree-ring dating is scientific dating of past events such as climatic changes through analysis of tree-ring growth patterns. In general trees create annual rings by the addition of wood each year to its trunk and branches. These annual rings are visible on viewing a cross section of the trunk in a prepared sample.

GGI collects, prepares, and analyzes cores collected from a variety of species. GGI has conducted dendrochronology analyses to constrain the timing of flood events for sediment transport investigations, to examine Acequia histories, to evaluate the timing of stream channel migration and arroyo incision, to determine the age of trees in an irrigated orchard for water rights investigations, and as another facet of geoarchaeological investigations.

Collection of core from ponderosa pine. Note that base of tree is buried by sediments from recent (less than 40 yr old) flood events.

Prepared tree cores for tree ring analysis.

Tree core, Stratigraphic description, and sediment sample location, Los Alamos Canyon.