Getting the Dates


After doing all of this: Now determine the actual dates of the virtual sample and consider possible paleoenvironmental applications.

When you try skeleton plotting for yourself, you can find the start and end dates:
  • Assume that the virtual sample had 21 rings
  • The skeleton plot extends from line #0 to line #20, as on the right
  • The pattern matching with the master chronology is obvious
  • Therefore:
    • The first ring (line #0 on the skeleton plot) corresponds to 1809
    • The last ring (line #20 on the skeleton plot) corresponds to 1829
    • Year dates of formation of all 21 rings are now known
    • Congratulations: This sample is crossdated by skeleton plotting
finding start and end dates

When you try skeleton plotting for yourself, you can check your answers:
show or hide answers
  • There will be a button to "Show or Hide Answers," as on the left
  • When you mouse click to show answers, a box of answers will appear, as on the right
  • If the sample had ring-growth anomalies, then the answer will include dates of absent/false rings as well
start and end dates


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

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

Copyright © 1998, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research
Revised -- October, 1998
URL: http://tree.ltrr.arizona.edu/skeletonplot/introcrossdate.htm