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Updated: Oct 8, 2026

Tree Core Analysis with X-ray Computed Tomography
Published on: September 22, 2023
Reconstructing tropical cyclone intensity in southeastern China over the past century using tree-rings
Xiaojin Bing1, Keyan Fang2, Feifei Zhou2
1Wildfire Research Center, National Institute of Natural Hazards, Beijing 100085, China.
Abstract:
Tropical cyclones (TCs) significantly impact coastal forests, yet long-term records remain scarce. In this study, we investigate the influence of TC frequency and intensity on the radial growth patterns of three dominant tree species in natural forests of southeastern China. Using tree-ring data, we reconstruct historical TC intensity and explore its relationship with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Our findings reveal that anomalously high TC wind speeds during the late 1950s and late 1980s led to enhanced radial growth in the studied trees due to improved light conditions caused by TC impact. The reconstructed TC wind speeds since the 1920s indicate that the intensity of landfalling TCs in southeastern China increased during El Niño phases. These results demonstrate that tree-growth anomalies can serve as a reliable proxy for reconstructing TC activity beyond the instrumental record, providing valuable insights into the linkages between TC variability and large-scale climate oscillations.
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