Seismic exploration of motion dynamcis of the Slumgullion landslide

Landslide dynamics are dominantly controlled by shearing displacement that occurs near the basal surface, where observations have often been obtained through costly and labor-intensive borehole instrumentation. Alternatively, seismic imaging with nodal arrays promises a novel and cost-effective solution. Toward this objective, we plan to use the slow-moving Slumgullion landslide in Colorado as an example, and explore if nodal seismometers can be used to effectively image subsurface properties of landslides, such as their basal depths and shearing behaviors. We are also interested in detecting possible "slide quakes" in the basal shear zone to better understand landslide mechanics and exploring if and how the shearing surfaces might evolve through time.