An interpreted language implementation of the Vaganov–Shashkin tree-ring proxy system model

Abstract We describe the implementation of the Vaganov–Shashkin tree-ring growth model (VSM) in MATLAB. VSM, originally written in Fortran, mimics subdaily and daily resolution processes of cambial growth as a function of soil moisture, air temperature, and insolation, with environmental forcing modeled as the principle of limiting factors. The re-implementation in a high level interpreted language, while sacrificing speed, provides opportunities to systematically evaluate model parameters, generate large ensembles of simulated tree-ring chronologies, and embed proxy system modeling within data assimilation approaches to climate reconstruction. We provide a versioned code repository and examples of model applications which permit process-level understanding of tree ring width variations in response to environmental variations and boundary conditions.

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