Publication details
An integrated workflow App for advanced tree-ring analyses: RWLApp
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Peer-reviewed scientific article |
| Magazine / Source | DENDROCHRONOLOGIA |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126550 |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126550 |
| Keywords | Automation; Dendrochronology; Software; Chronology; Crossdating; COFECHA; Workflow |
| Attached files | |
| Description | Tree-ring data processing often remains operationally fragmented, with file conversion, crossdating evaluation, and chronology aggregation distributed across independent software tools. To address this work-intensive and error-prone analytical separation, we present an integrated Python-based desktop workflow for dendrochronological data processing comprising four applications: RWLUpdaterApp (Ring Width Length Updater), pos2rwlApp, converterApp, and RWLStatsApp. These tools support: i) conversion of POS (CooRecorder coordinate) files to the Tucson ring-width list (RWL) format; ii) multi-format chronology conversion and diagnostics; iii) COFECHA (a widely used crossdating quality-control program)-assisted crossdating checks; iv) interactive correction of problematic series; and v) automated updating and screening of a combined master chronology. The central component, RWLUpdaterApp, provides folder monitoring, duplicate prevention, live editing tools, and an audit trail of chronology changes. Available as ready-to-run executables for both Windows and macOS, the workflow fills an operational gap in traceable, end-to-end chronology management. Rather than replacing established tools, the workflow connects them into a coherent sequence, reducing repetitive manual effort, lowering file-handling errors, and improving transparency and reproducibility of iterative chronology revision. |