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Characterisation and spatial distribution of gravitational slope deformation in the Upper Rhone catchment (Western Swiss Alps)

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Abstract

The influence of gravitational slope deformation (GSD) on erosion rates and the shape of mountain belts has been identified worldwide, particularly in valleys affected by glacial retreat. However, due to a lack of understanding about the main predisposing factors influencing their spatial distribution, size and failure mechanisms, the effective impact of GSD on the evolution of the landscape remains difficult to quantify. This study presents the first detailed, regional-scale GSD inventory of the entire Upper Rhone catchment (western Switzerland). The detection and mapping of GSD are performed by combining different remote sensing approaches. Moreover, we propose a detailed characterisation of GSD, taking into account geometry, morphology and failure mechanisms. Based on these analyses, more than 300 GSD are identified, corresponding to 11 % of the entire study area. Spatial and statistical analyses indicate that GSD are not uniformly distributed across the study area: six GSD clusters are highlighted, containing more than 80 % of the GSD events detected. Our observations suggest that the distribution of GSDs is primarily related to coexisting active tectonic processes (including high uplift gradients and earthquake activity) and pre-existing regional-scale, tectonic weakness zones. The region’s lithological and structural conditions, on the other hand, appear largely to influence the failure mechanisms and the sizes of the GSD detected.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Swiss National Science Foundation (grant number 200021-118105). The authors are deeply indebted to Alexander Loye and Marc-Henri Derron for fruitful discussions. This paper benefited from the proofreading of Darren Hart and the comments of four anonymous reviewers.

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  1. Canton of Jura, Office cantonal de l’environnement, CH-2882, Saint-Ursanne, Switzerland

    Andrea Pedrazzini

  2. University of Lausanne, Institute of Earth Sciences, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Florian Humair & Michel Jaboyedoff

  3. University of Lausanne, Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Marj Tonini

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  1. Andrea Pedrazzini
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Correspondence to Andrea Pedrazzini.

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Pedrazzini, A., Humair, F., Jaboyedoff, M. et al. Characterisation and spatial distribution of gravitational slope deformation in the Upper Rhone catchment (Western Swiss Alps). Landslides 13, 259–277 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-015-0562-9

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