Exploring the Behaviors of Initiated Progressive Failure and Slow‐Moving Landslides in Los Angeles Using Satellite InSAR and Pixel Offset Tracking

Abstract Catastrophic landslides are often preceded by slow, progressive, accelerating deformation that differs from the persistent motion of slow‐moving landslides. Here, we investigate the motion of a landslide that damaged 12 homes in Rolling Hills Estates (RHE), Los Angeles, California on 8 July...

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Main Authors: Xiang Li, Alexander L. Handwerger, Gilles Peltzer, Eric Fielding
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-07-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108267
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author Xiang Li
Alexander L. Handwerger
Gilles Peltzer
Eric Fielding
author_facet Xiang Li
Alexander L. Handwerger
Gilles Peltzer
Eric Fielding
author_sort Xiang Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Catastrophic landslides are often preceded by slow, progressive, accelerating deformation that differs from the persistent motion of slow‐moving landslides. Here, we investigate the motion of a landslide that damaged 12 homes in Rolling Hills Estates (RHE), Los Angeles, California on 8 July 2023, using satellite‐based synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) and pixel tracking of satellite‐based optical images. To better understand the precursory motion of the RHE landslide, we compared its behavior with local precipitation and with several slow‐moving landslides nearby. Unlike the slow‐moving landslides, we found that RHE was a first‐time progressive failure that failed after one of the wettest years on record. We then applied a progressive failure model to interpret the failure mechanisms and further predict the failure time from the pre‐failure movement of RHE. Our work highlights the importance of monitoring incipient slow motion of landslides, particularly where no discernible historical displacement has been observed.
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spelling doaj-art-faa074b85ef64bb7b125cf1cc81bd8f22025-08-20T03:12:51ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072024-07-015113n/an/a10.1029/2024GL108267Exploring the Behaviors of Initiated Progressive Failure and Slow‐Moving Landslides in Los Angeles Using Satellite InSAR and Pixel Offset TrackingXiang Li0Alexander L. Handwerger1Gilles Peltzer2Eric Fielding3Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering University of California Los Angeles CA USAJoint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering University of California Los Angeles CA USAJet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA USAJet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA USAAbstract Catastrophic landslides are often preceded by slow, progressive, accelerating deformation that differs from the persistent motion of slow‐moving landslides. Here, we investigate the motion of a landslide that damaged 12 homes in Rolling Hills Estates (RHE), Los Angeles, California on 8 July 2023, using satellite‐based synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) and pixel tracking of satellite‐based optical images. To better understand the precursory motion of the RHE landslide, we compared its behavior with local precipitation and with several slow‐moving landslides nearby. Unlike the slow‐moving landslides, we found that RHE was a first‐time progressive failure that failed after one of the wettest years on record. We then applied a progressive failure model to interpret the failure mechanisms and further predict the failure time from the pre‐failure movement of RHE. Our work highlights the importance of monitoring incipient slow motion of landslides, particularly where no discernible historical displacement has been observed.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108267
spellingShingle Xiang Li
Alexander L. Handwerger
Gilles Peltzer
Eric Fielding
Exploring the Behaviors of Initiated Progressive Failure and Slow‐Moving Landslides in Los Angeles Using Satellite InSAR and Pixel Offset Tracking
Geophysical Research Letters
title Exploring the Behaviors of Initiated Progressive Failure and Slow‐Moving Landslides in Los Angeles Using Satellite InSAR and Pixel Offset Tracking
title_full Exploring the Behaviors of Initiated Progressive Failure and Slow‐Moving Landslides in Los Angeles Using Satellite InSAR and Pixel Offset Tracking
title_fullStr Exploring the Behaviors of Initiated Progressive Failure and Slow‐Moving Landslides in Los Angeles Using Satellite InSAR and Pixel Offset Tracking
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the Behaviors of Initiated Progressive Failure and Slow‐Moving Landslides in Los Angeles Using Satellite InSAR and Pixel Offset Tracking
title_short Exploring the Behaviors of Initiated Progressive Failure and Slow‐Moving Landslides in Los Angeles Using Satellite InSAR and Pixel Offset Tracking
title_sort exploring the behaviors of initiated progressive failure and slow moving landslides in los angeles using satellite insar and pixel offset tracking
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108267
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