Possible explanations on the formative processes of the Tsugaru-Juniko landslide, northern Japan

Identification of complex surficial and internal sedimentological characteristics of landslide deposits can provide insights into the emplacement mechanisms of mass movements. In this study, deposits of the Tsugaru-Juniko landslide, which was historically recorded triggered by an earthquake in 1704 (Imamura, 1935), in Aomori Prefecture, Japan were investigated. This landslide extended about 2 km from east to west with a volume of about 10⁸ m³ (Furuya et al., 1987), of which deposit is represented by irregular topography and several lakes on and around the rim of it. We conducted field geological and geomorphological surveys and made geomorphological and geophysical analyses using a 1-m resolution LiDAR-DEM and 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) measurement (10 m spacing of electrodes) over a 450 m wide landslide deposit. In plain view, the landslide deposit exhibits quite different features between its northern and southern parts, and each shows a clear sequential distribution of various features. At the northern part, the translation zone is characterized by hummocks and debris lobes containing mixtures of poorly sorted, angular, blocky rock debris of andesitic tuff. Prominent features on the debris lobes are debris-flow-ridges with lobate-shaped aprons extending NW to the downslope. In the accumulation zone, slope surface upheavals of compression origin and radial cracks are observed in the front part of the landslide. At the southern part, as compared to those features observed at the northern part, the slope is commonly marked by transverse ridges, oriented NE-SW, with prevalent steep cliffs on both sides, but generally steeper on the east. The ridges are separated from one another by trenches, elongated across the slope. Based on the distributions of these features, possible explanations on the formative processes of the landslide are complex associated with flowing and sliding at northern and southern parts, respectively. However, geological evidences from its internal structures are rare, ERT survey at the northern part of the landslide deposit reveals that up to 30-m-deep high-resistivity anomaly is associated with the landslide deposit, and low-resistivity anomaly with the bedrock consisting of pumice tuff, as also confirmed in the field. This may result from the high porosity of landslide deposit, because the displaced material deposited loosely.