Publication Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Luo, Wei

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences

Abstract

The frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events are on the rise in recent decades around the world due to climate change and the trend is projected to continue. Intensified rainfall is a well-known trigger for landslide hazards. The impact of climate change on landslide hazards is a research question of practical importance, as landslides can cause billions of dollars in damage and significant loss of human lives annually. However, previous studies have often focused on specific events with limited spatial and temporal scales. Here we report our preliminary results of leveraging modern geospatial statistical tools in GIS using both landslide data (from NASA) and precipitation data (from PRISM Climate Group) to analyze their spatiotemporal patterns across the whole conterminous United States over recent decades. We aim to identify trends and emerging patterns in both precipitation and landslide data, as well as assessing how changing precipitation patterns influence the occurrence and distribution of landslides. We hope to elucidate the relationships between precipitation trends due to climate change and the frequency, intensity, and distribution of landslides. Based on such relationships, we hope to offer insights into how future climate scenarios may impact landslide hazards in the coming decades, including potential changes in location, trends, and associated risks to populations across the US.

Extent

41 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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