Tree-Ring Chronologies of Western North America: California, Eastern Oregon and Northern Great Basin with Procedures Used in the Chronology Development Work Including Users Manuals for Computer Programs COFECHA and ARSTAN

Abstract

Well replicated tree-ring samples were collected, dated and measured for California west of the Sierra Nevada, eastern Oregon and the northern Great Basin. A computer program was developed and used to check crossdating quality. Another computer program to generate and analyze tree-ring chronologies was evaluated, further developed cooperatively and used to produce chronologies for the dated site collections. This report contains these site chronologies in three versions along with site descriptions and chronology statistics. Users manuals are included for the two computer programs. The effect on a chronology of poor crossdating is discussed, and a study of standardization of tree-ring measurement series is reported. Some new techniques are described for processing tree-ring samples.