Assessing the influence of temperature on slope stability in a temperate climate: A nationwide spatial probability analysis in Italy

Abstract

Among landslide controls, the role of temperature in temperate regions remains poorly understood. Experiments revealed thermo-hydro-mechanical effects in geomaterials; however, field evidence of temperature-controlled landsliding is scarce. This complexity hinders the formulation of a temperature-related variable, useable in modelling across scales. Here, we identified spatial correlations between temperature and shallow landslides in gentle clay slopes. Notably, the temperature in the shallow underground is controlled by that of the atmosphere, and clays are the most sensitive to temperature among all geomaterials. Exploiting the Italian Landslide Inventory, we constructed a slope unit-based Generalised Additive Model and utilised Land Surface Temperature (LST) data from MODIS, accessible in Google Earth Engine. Interestingly, we observed a stronger positive correlation between landslides and LST, particularly in southern Italy, where categorised widespread shallow instabilities are common. Although more experiments and site-specific studies are warranted, the observed pattern appears consistent with thermal soil weakening, which may enhance landslide mobility.