Section 6.4: Your TREE Data

XRF Data

For convenience, you will receive an image of your XRF graph (similar to Figure 13) that already has the elements labelled for your sample. This graph is a summation of all of the line scans of your tree core. These graphs are a good tool to give you a general sense of all the elements present in your sample.

You will also be provided with a graph like Figure 14. This is a waterfall representation of all the XRF scans of every tree ring. Waterfalled means that the data is layered which allows you to look at differences in XRF scans as the years progress. The top XRF line is the oldest tree ring and the bottom is the newest.

Figure 15 shows another representation of how your XRF Line Scan graphs will look. Remember that an XRF Line Scan shows one element per line. For your convenience, we have separated each element into its own smaller line scan graph. The x-axis is the same for every graph, being the years of the tree rings. Note, however, that the y-axis scale is different for each graph. This is because each element fluoresces at a specific energy so although the peaks may look similar in size, they are actually at different scales. This means that you will have to consider the actual peak height and not just the shape of the graphs.

Since Figure 15 can make it difficult to compare the elements to one another, you will also receive the XRF Line Scan data on a single plot, such as in Figure 16. This graph is just another way of presenting your data and might give you more insight to elemental changes between elements5

How Does the Provided Timeline Fit In?

The timeline that was compiled and sent off to our labs will be used to give context for any trends discovered in the dendrochronological or XRF data. For example, suppose the dendrochronological data shows a consistently below average growth rate after the year 1995, and/or perhaps the XRF data shows a rise in the copper abundance after 1995. We would look into your timeline around 1995 to see if any major events happened, such as the opening of a new smelting facility, a forestry fire, or a new disease impacts the trembling aspen trees. Your timeline will be used to help the Research Team and yourselves to understand the change in environmental conditions specific to your location.

Extending Learning

Now that you have received your TREE data, what do you do with it? Build on this data, explore different concepts, create cross-curricular connections, and explore! Here are a few suggestions of ways to extend learning with your TREE data:

• Using the guiding questions in this module as well as your TREE Data Summary Report to help support student learning.

• Did students have a research question they were trying to answer? Have students look back on this question and come up with their findings.

• How does students' TREE data compare to other data? Students could formulate a question around comparing trees from different environments, much like what MAD Lab researchers are doing!

• Have students share their research findings through a science poster, report, presentation, video, or a medium of their own choosing. Encourage students to connect with how their own culture shares stories.

  • Check out our science poster resources if you decide to take that route!

• Have students share their research findings to the broader community, either with community members, local government, and especially with Indigenous Groups if they engaged with them.

• Have students create a news article, geared toward the public, sharing their findings.

• Encourage students to think about the applications of dendrochronology and synchrotron data. Have them come up with a report on how these findings can be applied in the field.

• Have students reflect on the careers that were associated with the whole TREE process. Have students select a career and describe how that profession connects to TREE data. How did that position contribute?