RAPID Collaborative Research: Landslides caused by the April 2015 Nepal earthquakes, from immediate hazard to tectonic driver

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A non-technical description of the project, which explains the project's significance and importanceLandslides are a continual threat in many mountainous regions of the world and the danger is increased in areas prone to large earthquakes. In spite of this association, knowledge concerning the extent to which seismic events can trigger landslides is rudimentary. This RAPID project will use satellite images to analyze the distribution of landslides following the large earthquake and aftershocks in Nepal of April, 2015. Field work will also be conducted by the research team to document the volume of material that has moved, evaluate the threat for subsequent remobilization of the landslides, and provide the evidence needed to more accurately predict the hazard level in other landslide-prone regions.A technical description of the projectThis RAPID project will (1) develop landslide maps from high resolution satellite imagery along the Himalaya and explore efforts to build high resolution Digital Elevation Models from before and after the earthquake; (2) characterize landslide geometries through field measurements and photogrammetric analysis, making it possible to rigorously determine landslide volumes; (3) develop and implement a sediment routing model to identify and monitor sediment transport; and (4) collect and analyze samples for baseline geochemical indexes that promise insight into erosion and sediment transport, with a priority on detrital cosmogenic beryllium isotopes and uranium-thorium/helium ratios, together with complementary efforts to monitor changes in river solute chemistry. Students will be actively engaged in all aspects of the research.