%0 Report %D 1985 %T Dendrochronology of Bristlecone Pine %A Ferguson, C.W. %A Graybill, D.A. %K anthropology %K Archaeology %K bristlecone pine %K california %K carbon isotopes %K chronology %K climate %K dendrochronology %K Geology %K isotopic studies %K pinus longaeva %K technical report %K tree ring %K white mountains %X

INTRODUCTION

Since Edmun Schulman’s initial interest in 1953, the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research has conducted dendrochronological studies of bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva D. K. Bailey, sp. Nov.) in the White Mountains of east-central California where living trees reach ages in excess of 4,000 years. The focus of this report relates to the support by the Geology and Anthropology sections in the National Science Foundation under grant EAR-8018687 for the period 1 April 1981 to 31 October 1984 with the assistance of the Department of Energy contract no. DE-AC02-81EV10680 covering the period 1 May 1981 to 31 October 1982.

A summary of this research was recently published in Radiocarbon (Ferguson and Graybill 1983). In most cases various facets of the work were related to projects sponsored by all agencies. Therefore the full range of activities during that period is described herein. The primary project goals were:

  1. To extend the bristlecone pine chronology from the White Mountains of California beyond 6700 B.C. and strengthen it by incorporating additional specimens.
  2. To develop bristlecone pine chronologies in new areas for applications in archaeology, isotopic studies, and other earth sciences.
  3. To furnish dendrochronologically dated wood to researchers engaged in the study of past variations in carbon isotopes and climate.
%I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 05/1985 %G English %0 Report %D 1984 %T Dendrochronology of Bristlecone Pine %A Ferguson, C.W. %A Graybill, D.A. %K anthropology %K Bristlecone %K bristlecone pine %K california %K carbon isotopes %K chronology %K climate %K dendrochronology %K Geology %K white mountains %I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 08/1984 %G English %0 Report %D 1983 %T Bristlecone Pine Project Status %A Ferguson, C.W. %K Bristlecone %K bristlecone pine %K california %K chronology %K white mountains %8 08/1983 %G English %0 Report %D 1980 %T Unsolicited Proposal Submitted to the Department of Energy for Dendrochronology of Bristlecone Pine %A Ferguson, C.W. %K Bristlecone %K bristlecone pine %K C-14 %K california %K chronology %K dendrochronology %K department of energy %K pinus longaeva %K radiocarbon %K white mountains %X

Since 1953 the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research has conducted dendrochronological studies of bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva D. K. Bailey, sp. nov.) in the White Mountains of California. This research resulted in the establishment of a continuous tree-ring sequence of 8,680 years which proved to be a unique source of chronological data and provided precisely dated wood specimens essential to certain paleoenvironmental and geophysical investigations. Dendrochronologically dated decade samples of bristlecone pine continue to be supplied to C-14 laboratories for the calibration of the radiocarbon time scale, a development of far reaching consequences in the fields of archaeology and geology. To more fully understand the causative factors, especially the activity of the sun, a critical need exists to better define the fluctuations and trends of the C-14 curve through even stronger and earlier bristlecone pine controls. In addition, recent advances in other methods of analyzing past climatic variability –particularly techniques involving stable isotope ratios—have greatly increased the demand for wood of known age and, hence, for chronology development.

During the past 18 months, the early portions of the chronology have been greatly strengthened and extended. The objective of the proposed research is to continue the extension of the bristlecone pine chronology further into the past and to strengthen it by incorporating additional dated specimens from the White Mountains and nearby areas. Prospects for a 10,000-year chronology appear increasingly possible.

%I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 04/1980 %G English %0 Magazine Article %D 1968 %T Bristlecone Pine Science and Esthetics %A Ferguson, C.W. %K bristlecone pine %K chronology %K esthetics %K science %K tree ring %0 Report %D 1968 %T Interim Progress Report Dendrochronology of Bristlecone Pine %A Ferguson, C.W. %K bristlecone pine %K california %K dendrochronology %K NSF %K pinus aristata %K progress report %K radiocarbon %K white mountains %I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 06/1968 %G English %9 Interim Progress Report %0 Report %D 1966 %T Interim Report on the Dendrochronology of Bristlecone Pine Prior to 4,000 B.C. %A Ferguson, C.W. %8 12/1966 %G English %9 Interim Report %0 Report %D 1963 %T Ramifications of Chronology Building in Bristlecone Pine %A Ferguson, C.W. %K bristlecone pine %K california %K chronology building %K climate %K radiocarbon dating %K ramifications %K white mountains %I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 11/1963 %G English %9 Written From Tape Recording of Talk %0 Report %D 0 %T Report on the Chronology Phase of the Bristlecone Pine Study %A Ferguson, C.W. %K bristlecone pine %K california %K chronology phase %K dendrochronology %K extend %K pinus aristata %K white mountains %I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %G English