Morphogenic uncertainties of the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake: Generating or reducing?

Landscape evolution in active orogen region is inevitably affected by landslides associated with strong earthquakes, rain or storm. However, quantitative studies of the orogenic or eroded volumes are rarely demonstrated. The 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake triggered serious landsliding, consequently, a large amount of landslide material. However, the landslide volume is estimated mainly on the landslides areas interpreted in their semi-automated landslide mapping algorithm. However, the total volume of landslides triggered by the Wenchuan Earthquake amounts to 5–10 times bigger than the expected upper bound according to the empirical correlation between “total landslide volume” and “moment magnitude”. Here we show that the total landslide volume estimation has large uncertainties to be used to determine whether the Wenchuan Earthquake generates or reduces relief. Thus, the widely held view that large dip-slip and oblique-slip earthquakes build mountainous topography may still be applicable to the Wenchuan Earthquake in Longmen Shan area. To challenge this view, simple landslide volume and co-seismic uplift comparison is not enough, i.e., more data are needed.