Spatial characteristics of the rainfall induced landslides in the Chinese Loess Plateau

The Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) is still undergoing development. Nearly one-third of the geological disasters take place in this region in China each year. Prior to assessing the spatial characteristics of the rainfall-induced landslides in the CLP, it is fundamental to establish a detailed landslide inventory map. This study utilizes GLDAS (Global Land Data Assimilations Systems) rainfall distribution data in the CLP based on yearly, monthly, and the daily precipitation data from 57 rain gauge stations. Geostatistics analysis and Geographic Information System technique combined with information on geological disasters within the region were used to study the spatial characteristics and trend variations of rainfall and geological disaster distribution in the region. The results indicate that a positive relationship exists between geological disaster and the average annual rainfall, correlation coefficient reaches 0.82, with zonality disasters (account for more than 90%) in the loess gullies, hills, and ridges. Seven zones of loess landside distribution were identified based on their landside densities. The spatial distribution of the geological disasters is characterized by a "linear and zone" shape in the CLP. These results provide a useful reference for the study of the mechanism of water-induced loess landslides.