DHRUVI MEHTA

Hi! I'm Dhruvi, a data analyst and visualisation specialist with a background in graphic design based in New York City.














2026 by Dhruvi Mehta

Indonesia’s Tectonic Landscape

ArcGIS Pro, Spatial Analysis
 For many people, earthquakes and volcanoes are isolated natural disasters that appear suddenly in the news. To geographers and earth scientists, however, these events are deeply connected, forming part 
of a larger tectonic system that continuously shapes the planet.

As someone interested in spatial analysis and data visualization, I have always been drawn to how geographic patterns can reveal hidden relationships. This project explores how mapping geological events can help us better understand the forces beneath the Earth's surface.


Can spatial mapping reveal the relationship between volcanic activity and earthquake events across Indonesia’s tectonic landscape?
Indonesia sits on one of the most geologically active regions on Earth: the Pacific Ring of Fire. Shaped by the collision of major tectonic plates, this region experiences frequent earthquakes and hosts numerous active volcanoes. While scientists understand the tectonic causes behind these events, this project explores how mapping them together can visually demonstrate their spatial relationship.

Three guiding questions shaped the analysis:

  • Do earthquakes occur randomly across the region, or do they follow the same geographic patterns as volcanic centres?
  • Would mapping both datasets together reveal visible tectonic boundaries?
  • How can GIS design techniques help highlight these relationships clearly?

Data and Methodologies:
To explore this relationship, the project combines two major geological datasets:Volcano data sourced from the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database, represented as point locations of volcanic centres.
Earthquake data, also sourced from NOAA, includes attributes such as magnitude, location, and historical event records.
Both datasets were processed and visualized using ArcGIS Pro.

Mapping Process:
The analysis is built on two primary layers. Volcano point data were converted into a heat-density surface to highlight clusters of volcanic activity, with high-density zones concentrated along the islands of Sumatra and Java. Earthquake events were mapped using graduated blue symbols scaled by magnitude, ranging from 4.4 to 9.1. Semi-transparent styling ensured these points provided context without obscuring the volcanic density layer.
Key Insight:
The final map reveals that volcanoes and earthquakes across Indonesia follow nearly the same geographic arc along the southern island chain. This pattern reflects the subduction of the Australian Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate, a tectonic process responsible for both volcanic activity and seismic events. By mapping these datasets together, the project demonstrates how spatial analysis can make invisible geological forces visible.