Comprehensive analysis of a paleo-landslide damming event on the upper reach of the Jinsha River, SE Tibetan Plateau

The geological conditions in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River on the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are extremely complex. Many paleo-landslides and lacustrine sediments were formed in this area under the synergistic effect of tectonic activity and climate. The study of old deposits is helpful for understanding paleoenvironment, paleoclimate, and river geomorphology evolution. This study addressed the Wangdalong landslide damming event as the object and implemented a detailed on-site investigation. The geological characteristics of the landslide body, sliding surface, source area, and lacustrine deposits are determined. The 3D topographic restoration and the SFLOW software were used to simulate landslide dynamics, and the geomorphological evolution sequence of the Wangdalong landslide is proposed. Based on the landslide dating, the mineral analysis of lacustrine sediments, and the numerical simulation, the landslide was determined to be the product of the synergistic effect of climate and structure, and an earthquake or a heavy rainfall was the most probable triggering factor of the landslide. This study established a systematic analysis of the landslide damming event, which has reference significance for similar research.

Automated summary

This study focuses on the Wangdalong landslide damming event in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River and provides valuable insights into the formation mechanism of the landslide and its geomorphological evolution, serving as a reference for similar research.