Articles | Volume 24, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-24-1-2024
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-24-1-2024
Research article
 | 
03 Jan 2024
Research article |  | 03 Jan 2024

Slope Unit Maker (SUMak): an efficient and parameter-free algorithm for delineating slope units to improve landslide modeling

Jacob B. Woodard, Benjamin B. Mirus, Nathan J. Wood, Kate E. Allstadt, Benjamin A. Leshchinsky, and Matthew M. Crawford

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Cited articles

Alvioli, M., Marchesini, I., Reichenbach, P., Rossi, M., Ardizzone, F., Fiorucci, F., and Guzzetti, F.: Automatic delineation of geomorphological slope units with r.slopeunits v1.0 and their optimization for landslide susceptibility modeling, Geosci. Model Dev., 9, 3975–3991, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-3975-2016, 2016. 
Alvioli, M., Guzzetti, F., and Marchesini, I.: Parameter-free delineation of slope units and terrain subdivision of Italy, Geomorphology, 358, 107124, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107124, 2020. 
Bessette-Kirton, E. K., Cerovski-Darriau, C., Schulz, W. H., Coe, J. A., Kean, J. W., Godt, J. W., Thomas, M. A., and Stephen Hughes, K.: Landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria: Assessment of an extreme event in Puerto Rico, GSA Today, 29, 4–10, https://doi.org/10.1130/GSATG383A.1, 2019. 
Brier, G. W.: Verification of Forecasts Expressed in Terms of Probability, Mon. Weather Rev., 78, 1–4, 1950. 
Burns, W. J. and Madin, I. P.: Protocol for inventory mapping of landslide deposits from light detection and ranging (lidar) imagery, Oregon Dep. Geol. Miner. Ind., 42, 1–30, 2009. 
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Short summary
Dividing landscapes into hillslopes greatly improves predictions of landslide potential across landscapes, but their scaling is often arbitrarily set and can require significant computing power to delineate. Here, we present a new computer program that can efficiently divide landscapes into meaningful slope units scaled to best capture landslide processes. The results of this work will allow an improved understanding of landslide potential and can help reduce the impacts of landslides worldwide.
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