Abstract
ABSTRACT A comprehensive geomorphological and structural mapping of the largest landslides in the central-eastern Southern Alps (NE Italy) is presented. Their occurrence in this Alpine sector is discussed in relation with structural geological features (bedding and faults), which are largely conditioned by the Giudicarie and Schio-Vicenza regional fault systems. Tectonic rock damaging here coexists with high relief stored energy and active deformation, which is testified by present seismicity and cumulative earthquake moment release. Based on updated rock failure ages, slope activity is concentrated at 5-3 and 1 ka, as primarily enhanced by climatic and seismic controls. The analysis of predisposing and driving factors poses the question of present and future landslide hazards for these densely inhabited Alpine valleys.
Highlights
Landslides can deeply modify mountain landscapes, permanently alter drainage patterns and have catastrophic impacts on people and infrastructures (e.g. Abdulwahid & Pradhan, 2017; Crosta et al, 2004; Ermini & Casagli, 2003)
The extensive landslide deposits cover an area of ∼5 km2 and are composed of seven bodies distributed at different elevations, from the highest Bergia-Sassere (BS in the Main Map) to the lowest Glare North (GN)
The Tovel lake formed inside the Tovel deposit (TO) and showed a sudden rise in lake level, testified by the drowning of a submerged forest dated by dendrochronology at 1597 AD likely due to a minor rockfall blocking lake outflow (Ferretti & Borsato, 2004; Oetheimer, 1989)
Summary
Landslides can deeply modify mountain landscapes, permanently alter drainage patterns and have catastrophic impacts on people and infrastructures (e.g. Abdulwahid & Pradhan, 2017; Crosta et al, 2004; Ermini & Casagli, 2003). In order to highlight the reason for their frequency in this sector of the Alps, in addition to older studies that mainly focused on deposit extension (Largaiolli, 1990; Oetheimer, 1989; Perna, 1991; Trener, 1924; Figure 2), great effort has been recently put on understanding their mechanisms, timing and drivers (Ivy-Ochs et al, 2017a, 2017b; Martin et al, 2014; Spreafico et al, 2018; von Wartburg et al, 2020; Zampieri & Adami, 2013) The prevalence of such rock failures has been suggested to be given by the combined action of different factors, such as extreme relief, tectonic setting, climate, and seismic ground shaking (Ivy-Ochs et al, 2017a; Rossato et al, 2020)
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