Giant paleo-landslides in the upper reaches of the Yellow River: Spatio–temporal distribution, and possible controlling factors

Abstract

A large number of giant paleo-landslides were found in the section from Lagan Gorge to Liujia Gorge, which is located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. This area is located in the transition zone between the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and the Loess Plateau with a semi-arid climate. The occurrence of lacustrine deposits suggests that some of the giant landslides ever blocked the river and landslide-dammed lakes have occurred in this area. The chronology of the giant landslide in the upper Yellow River was obtained and analyzed by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating and established a chronological framework combining previous data. From the perspective of space, there are five major landslide clusters in the upper Yellow River. They are mainly located in the canyons at the junction of the Yellow River valley, and the center of every basins, which are inextricably linked to the unique sedimentary and tectonic environments of each basin. From the perspective of time, giant landslides also tend to occur during interglacial or glacial-to-interglacial transitions. Paleoseismicity and precipitation appear to be coupled and have competing relationships in their contribution to the formation of giant landslides.