Relative Scale of Skeleton Plots


Trees living within a homogeneous stand or forest: Problem: Because of different growth rates, it's impossible to align the common pattern of variation using the actual wood samples

Solution: Dendrochronologists can make skeleton plots to standardize scales: Note the three skeleton plots of the figure above:
When you try skeleton plotting for yourself, you can move the virtual core left and right:

  • Put the cursor anywhere on the core above
  • Click and hold the mouse button
  • Move the mouse left or right
  • Don't worry that the core goes off the edges -- it always comes back!

Note: The virtual core comes with every 10th ring prenumbered -- which won't be true in real life, so number your wood carefully!

When you try skeleton plotting for yourself, you can change the scales of the graphics:
magnification options
  • There will be magnification circle buttons, as on the left
  • You may enlarge or reduce the virtual core to see rings better
    • Choose between 1x, 2x, or 3x
    • Hint for magnifying a ring:
      1. There will be a vertical blue line marking the middle of your screen, as on the right
      2. Put the ring that you wish to see better at the blue line
      3. Then magnify -- at 3x magnification, narrow rings are apparent
  • You may also enlarge or reduce the graphs
    • Choose between Large, Medium, and Small
zoom magnification


Introduction | Dendrochronology Applications | Crossdating Application | Ring-Growth Anomalies
Sensitivity-Complacency | Skeleton Plotting | Relative Scale | Master Chronology
Pattern Matching | Finding the Dates | Absent/False Rings | Try Skeleton Plotting for Yourself!
Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research

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

Copyright © 1998, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, The University of Arizona
Revised -- December, 1998
URL: http://tree.ltrr.arizona.edu/skeletonplot/relativescale.htm