what is dendrochronology

what is dendrochronology

1 year ago 62
Nature

Dendrochronology, also known as tree-ring dating, is the scientific method of dating tree rings to the exact year they were formed in a tree. The word "dendrochronology" comes from the Greek words "dendros" meaning "tree," "khronos" meaning "time," and "-logia" meaning "the study of". Dendrochronology is useful for determining the precise age of samples, especially those that are too recent for radiocarbon dating, which always produces a range rather than an exact date.

Dendrochronology is also used for dendroclimatology, which is the study of climate and atmospheric conditions during different periods in history from the wood of old trees. By analyzing the width and characteristics of tree rings, dendrochronologists can reconstruct past climatic conditions and study environmental changes over time.

Dendrochronologists need to search for long-lived trees that grow in harsh environments, making them very sensitive to the surrounding conditions, where their growth is slow— so slow that many years will be recorded in their lifetimes. They use a technique called coring to extract a small sample of wood from the tree without harming it.

In summary, dendrochronology is the study of annual rings in trees to determine their age and to reconstruct past climatic conditions. It is a useful tool for dating organic archaeological material and creating a chronological record against which artifacts can be dated.

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