Author: Maeve Upton, Andrew Parnell and Niamh Cahill
Date: 2026-05-26

# reslr: quick start guide

#### Maeve Upton, Andrew Parnell and Niamh Cahill

#### 2026-05-26

## Step 1: install `reslr`

Use:

    #install.packages("reslr")
    #devtools::install_github("maeveupton/reslr")
    install_github("maeveupton/reslr")

then,

    library(reslr)

Note: The JAGS software is a requirement for this instruction sheet and refer back to main vignettes for more information.

## Step 2: load in the data into `reslr`

There is a large example dataset included in the `reslr` package called `NAACproxydata`. In this example, we demonstrate how to include proxy record data which is stored in a csv file. This csv file of data can be found in the package and the `readr` function reads the csv file:

    path_to_data <- system.file("extdata", "one_data_site_ex.csv", package = "reslr")
    example_one_datasite <- read.csv(path_to_data)

Using the `reslr_load` function to read in the data into the `reslr` package:

    example_one_site_input <- reslr_load(
      data = example_one_datasite)

## Step 3: plot the data

    plot(
      x = example_one_site_input,
      title = "Plot of the raw data",
      xlab = "Year (CE)",
      ylab = "Relative Sea Level (m)",
      plot_tide_gauges = FALSE,
      plot_caption = TRUE
    )

## Step 4: Run your statistical model and check convergence

Select your modelling technique from the modelling options available:

Statistical Model | Model Information | `model_type` code
--- | --- | ---
Errors in variables simple linear regression | A straight line of best fit taking account of any age and measurement errors in the RSL values using the method of Cahill et al (2015). Use for single proxy site. | “eiv_slr_t”
Errors in variables change point model | An extension of the linear regression modelling process. It uses piece-wise linear sections and estimates where/when trend changes occur in the data (Cahill et al. 2015). | “eiv_cp_t”
Errors in variables integrated Gaussian Process | A non linear fit that utilities a Gaussian process prior on the rate of sea-level change that is then integrated (Cahill et al. 2015). | “eiv_igp_t”
Noisy Input spline in time | A non-linear fit using regression splines using the method of Upton et al (2023). | “ni_spline_t”
Noisy Input spline in space and time | A non-linear fit for a set of sites across a region using the method of Upton et al (2023). | “ni_spline_st”
Noisy Input Generalised Additive model for the decomposition of the RSL signal | A non-linear fit for a set of sites across a region and provides a decomposition of the signal into regional, local-linear (commonly GIA) and local non-linear components. Again this full model is as described in Upton et al (2023). | “ni_gam_decomp”

For this example, it is a single site and we are interested in how it varies over time select the Noisy Input spline in time. If it was multiple sites, we recommend using a spatial temporal model, i.e. Noisy Input spline in space and time, or for decomposing the signal, i.e. Noisy Input Generalised Additive model.

Once the model is chosen use the `reslr_mcmc` function to run it:

    res_one_site_example <- reslr_mcmc(
      input_data = example_one_site_input,
      model_type = "ni_spline_t",
      CI = 0.95
    )

The convergence of the algorithm is examined and he parameter estimates from the model can be investigated using the following:

    summary(res_one_site_example)
    #> No convergence issues detected.
    #> # A tibble: 2 × 7
    #>   variable      mean      sd     mad       q5    q95  rhat
    #>   <chr>        <dbl>   <dbl>   <dbl>    <dbl>  <dbl> <dbl>
    #> 1 sigma_beta 2.07    0.663   0.536   1.28     3.37   1.000
    #> 2 sigma_y    0.00622 0.00471 0.00464 0.000525 0.0153 1.000

## Step 5: Plot the results

The model fit results can be visualised using the following function:

    plot(res_one_site_example,
      xlab = "Year (CE)",
      ylab = "Relative Sea Level (m)",
      plot_type = "model_fit_plot"
    )

For the rate of change plot use:

    plot(res_one_site_example,
      plot_type = "rate_plot"
    )

To examine the data creating these plots the user types the following:

    output_dataframes <- res_one_site_example$output_dataframes
    head(output_dataframes)
    #>   Longitude Latitude                       SiteName data_type_id  Age      pred
    #> 1    -76.38   34.971 Cedar Island,\n North Carolina  ProxyRecord -800 -2.312253
    #> 2    -76.38   34.971 Cedar Island,\n North Carolina  ProxyRecord -750 -2.317222
    #> 3    -76.38   34.971 Cedar Island,\n North Carolina  ProxyRecord -700 -2.317994
    #> 4    -76.38   34.971 Cedar Island,\n North Carolina  ProxyRecord -650 -2.314775
    #> 5    -76.38   34.971 Cedar Island,\n North Carolina  ProxyRecord -600 -2.307773
    #> 6    -76.38   34.971 Cedar Island,\n North Carolina  ProxyRecord -550 -2.297192
    #>         upr       lwr   rate_pred    rate_upr  rate_lwr  CI
    #> 1 -2.395207 -2.221821 -0.14271283 -0.66096585 0.3667582 95%
    #> 2 -2.382841 -2.245119 -0.05671909 -0.49728706 0.3732595 95%
    #> 3 -2.375112 -2.259213  0.02515111 -0.34564049 0.3874031 95%
    #> 4 -2.365446 -2.263507  0.10289755 -0.20476239 0.4001855 95%
    #> 5 -2.356353 -2.261148  0.17652023 -0.07178998 0.4157362 95%
    #> 6 -2.346780 -2.250354  0.24601915  0.04973288 0.4359669 95%

To examine the additional options in the `reslr` package, see the main vignette.