Crossdating Tree Rings

Using Skeleton Plotting

Welcome to the web presentation on crossdating tree rings by skeleton plotting:

Produced at the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, The University of Arizona, Tucson
- Author: Research Specialist Senior Paul R. Sheppard
- Principal Investigators: Director Malcolm K. Hughes and Associate Professor Thomas W. Swetnam
Objective: To inform about dendrochronological crossdating using skeleton plots
Note: Other ways exist to crossdate; visit the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research for more information

Important Point: This presentation has Java-language applets:

You must have a Java-capable web browser to take fullest advantage of this site
You will be able to interact with this presentation, including trying skeleton plotting for yourself!

How best to use this presentation There are 13 inter-linked explanatory web pages:

1.	Introduction	This page – getting started
2.	Dendrochronology Applications	Why dendrochronology is done
3.	Crossdating Application	An example of dating a past event with crossdating
4.	Ring-Growth Anomalies	Ring counting is not adequate – crossdating is better
5.	Sensitivity-Complacency	Highly variable ring growth versus no variation
6.	Skeleton Plotting	Making marks on the skeleton plot
7.	Relative Scale	Standardizing the scale of ring growth with graph paper
8.	Master Chronology	What the master dendrochronology is
9.	Pattern Matching	Matching a skeleton plot with a master chronology
10.	Finding the Dates	Determining actual year dates of formation of every ring
11.	Absent/False Rings	Marking ring-growth anomalies on the skeleton plot
12.	Try Skeleton Plotting for Yourself!	The interactive Java-language applet
13.	Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research	More links to the world of dendrochronology

Cruise these pages in the order given OR in the order of your own interest

Note to Teachers:

The "Try Skeleton Plotting for Yourself!" interactive Java applet is useful for teaching, especially in large classrooms
If you wish to use this presentation in your classroom, please contact the author, Paul Sheppard

Paul R. Sheppard
Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, The University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721 USA
office: (520) 621-6474, fax: (520) 621-8229
Comments to: sheppard @ ltrr.arizona.edu