The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-06-09
Today Science
BY DAVID DIETZ-

A RECORD of weather and life, season by season,
n back through the years to prehistoric times is
to be found in the rings of the giant of western
America. 1t is record that takes man back to the
discovery of America back to the days of the ear
lest Indians, back to the glacial age itself
Once science completely comprehends this record
many puzzles not only concerning the weather it
self but concerning the solar cosnic forces which
influence the weather. will be solved.
The pioneer in this study of three rings is Dr. A.
E. Douglass, professor of astronomy of the Univer-
Sity OF Arizona. 1t my good fortune, some years
ago trip through Arizona to spend several DAYS
in Tucson, visiting the Steward observatory of which
Dr. Douglass is the director, and going his work
on tree rings.
Within the last few years the Carnegie Institution
of Washington has become greatly interested in the
whole subject of cycles in nature. The institution
has financed number of studies both of tree rings
and of other phenomena in which the occurrence of
cycles in nature can be studied.
IF a cross-section of tree is examined a series
i of concentric rings can be found upon it, Each
ring represents years growth. DR. Douglass began
to wonder, in the of drive through the Ar-
forest, if by any chance the sunspot cycle in
fuenced the annual growth of trees. If it did, the
result should be found in the thickness of the tree
rings.
Moreover if such influence did exist, then the
rings OF the gigantic and ancient trees would enable
scientists to push the Sunspot records back many
centuries prior to the keeping of scientific records
1loIe WdS dlSO pOSSDlGy GndC SunSpOCS QlQ not
affect the trees directly, but acted through some
intermediate climatic factor
IF one carefully examines section of trees which
lived together as neighbors he will notice that the
rings are not all of the size but that in many
cases they vary a great deal in width from narrow
to average and up to big" DR.. Waldo S. Clock Of
the Carnegie Institution of Washington says DR..
Clock is stationed at the University of Arizona in
Tucson.
"a passing acquantanceship will reveal this vari-
alton in width" he continues. Permanent friend
ship, however, will establish such familiarity with
the individual rings of single specimen that the
identical rings can be recognized in adjacent
tree Therein lies not only the thrill of discovery,
but also one of the secrets of reading tree rings
EVERGREEN trees, such pine fir and pinon
T. are most easily studied, according to DR.. Clock
with the coming of spring, the tree awakens
rather suddenly from it's winter Sleep" he says
Growth is rapid at first and the wood formed is
Ight-colored and porous AS summer advances
growth gradually slackens. The light-colored wood
merges into band which is darker and denser
When winter shuts down, the tree closes shop, so
to speak, and all growth abruptly that
sharp line marks the outside boundary of the wood
put down during the spring and summer.
Therefore an annual ring consists of the light
colored wood spring growth plus the dark-colored
wood or summer growth, and it is marked off by
sharp line at its beginning and one at its end"