Controls on the size distributions of shallow landslides

Significance Shallow landslides are destructive and widespread natural hazards, but what controls their size distribution is poorly understood. We present a generalized theory to explain landslide at specific locations by combining mechanistic slope stability model with spatial-statistical description of the variability in hillslope conditions. perform numerical experiments explore how controlled spatial structure strength variability. find that this must obey particular constraints terms amplitude, form, wavelength reproduce observed distributions. Our can account for broad similarities occasional differences field-mapped inventories; it highlights critical need constrain material properties hillslopes.