Landslide Susceptibility Mapping using Remotely Sensed Soil Moisture

Slope stability analysis using remotely sensed data is routinely conducted throughout the world. This study focuses on rainfall induced landslides and the use of AMSR-E and TRMM satellite data to develop susceptibility maps that can be used to forecast landslides. This research established the first relationships among soil moisture derived from AMSR-E, precipitation from TRMM and major landslide events, respectively, in California, U.S., Leyte, Philippines and, Dhading, Nepal. Each of the three study regions had slope movements when soil moisture was high and rainfall occurred and clearly indicates a strong relationship among landslide events, remotely sensed soil moisture and rainfall. A slope stability model is used to develop susceptibility maps for a California site under a range of conditions. Results suggest that the AMSR-E and TRMM satellite data, coupled with land-surface model estimates, are viable for enhancing rainfall induced slope stability analysis at regional or global scales.