Sample type:
|
1/4, 1/2, 5/8, 7/8, 1-inch | core sample diameters. |
cc | charcoal (specimen is carbonized) |
frag | fragment (broken or rotted piece) |
V-cut | sample taken as a V-cut in side of element |
wedge | sample is a wedge-shaped cutting. |
xs | cross cut sample, often resulting in a complete cross section of
element. Provides analyst with the best sample possible. |
Appended to xs samples: type of beam end (BE) present, if original.
|
BT | Beaver tail end. Most common type of stone and steel ax cut end. |
IRREG | specimen is irregularly stone ax cut. |
NF or Flat | specimen is nicked flat removing evidence of stone ax
cuts. |
RND | specimen rounded from ax cutting. |
SA | Stone-ax cut; specific type of cutting is unknown or does not fit
other categories. |
Species:
|
DF | Douglas fir |
Jun | juniper |
Pnn | piñon |
PP | ponderosa pine |
SF | spruce or true fir |
Ring condition:
|
Complacent |
Little patterning is evident in the sample so that dating is difficult
if not impossible. Common among trees with a plentiful precipitation
supply (e.g., cottonwood and high-altitude conifers). |
Compressed |
Outer rings are so narrow that distinguishing patterning or the absence
of rings is not possible. In dated samples, a "+ +" symbol would be
used. |
Erratic |
Ring growth is erratic and difficult to match patterning for dating
purposes. Common for juniper growth and may include partial, double, or
missing rings. |
Missing rings |
Two or more growth rings are absent, which can be attributed to erratic
growth and/or to drought conditions. |
Short |
The number of rings is too few to adequately date and cross reference.
Usually less than 30-50 rings. |
Terminal Ring:
|
I |
Incomplete outer ring (tree died during growing season). Growing season
varies by species and area. |
C |
Complete outer ring (tree died during dormant season). Dormant season
varies by species and area. |
Date symbols for the inside date: Field observation by author noted in a
subscript.
|
p | pith present |
np | near actual pith (old usage). |
fp | far from actual pith (old usage). |
±p | pith ring is present but because of the difficult nature of
the specimen, an exact date cannot be assigned to it (common among juniper specimens). |
± | the innermost ring is not the pith ring and an absolute date cannot
be assigned to it. A ring count is involved. |
Date symbols for the outside date: Field observation by author noted in
a subscript.
|
+ | Cannot be dated with certainty because one to five rings may be
missing. |
+ + | The outermost rings of a sample cannot be dated. Typically, the
rings are uniformly small, making it impossible to recognize patterning
in ring widths or to identify missing rings. This pattern reflects very
slow growth and is the mark of a dying tree. Dates with this symbol are
considered derived from deadwood. |
vv | Definite evidence for a cutting/death date is absent and it is
unknown how many outer rings have been lost. |
v | A subjective judgment that the outer ring is at or is within 1-5 years
of the actual tree death date. Typically considered a death or near
death date, but weakest in confidence. |
r | Less than a full section is present but the outermost ring is continuous
around the available circumference. Considered a death date, but more
confident than above. |
c | The outermost ring is continuous around the entire circumference.
Considered a death date but more confident than above. |
L | A characteristic surface patination and smoothness, which develops
just under the bark, is present. Considered a confident death date. |
G | Beetle galleries are present on the surface of the specimen.
Considered a death date of greater confidence than above. |
B | Bark is present. Considered the strongest affirmation of the actual
death date, unless a "+" or "+ +" is also present (for this or those above). |
TENT | Tentative date. Ring series too short to cross verify. |
Sources: Symbols after Ahlstrom (1985) and Windes and McKenna (2001). |