Maurice Farber
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#30DayMapChallenge - Dimensions Map

Dimensions Theme for the #30DayMapChallenge 2025. A visually striking joy plot of typical 'Basin & Range' geology in a part of the Great Basin in Nevada, treating elevation bands as dimensions.

Basin & Range Joy Plot Map - Great Basin, Nevada

30 Day Map Challenge - Dimensions visualization showing population density across regions
30 Day Map Challenge - Dimensions visualization showing population density across regions

Basin & Range Joy Plot Map - Great Basin, Nevada

Click markers or scroll to explore

1

Sharp Visual Contrast Demonstrates Dramatic and Frequent Elevation Changes

Relatively short mountain ranges punctuated by shallow basins, frequently changing across the landscape, is characteristic of 'Basin & Range' geology. This joy plot representing elevation contours is a beautiful way to demonstrate it.

Code

Day6_clean.ipynb
python
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from ridge_map import RidgeMap

OUTPUT = '/Users/mauricefarber/Documents/Personal Projects/30-Day Map Challenge/Images/basin_and_range.png'

cmap        = plt.get_cmap('Reds')
darker_color = cmap(0.02)   # background: near-white pinkish
title_color  = cmap(0.6)    # label: medium red

rm = RidgeMap((-116.079783, 39.200799, -114.700999, 40.131050))
values = rm.get_elevation_data(num_lines=100)
values = rm.preprocess(
    values=values,
    lake_flatness=2,
    water_ntile=2,
    vertical_ratio=55,
)
rm.plot_map(
    values=values,
    label='Basin & Range',
    label_color=title_color,
    label_x=0.7,
    label_y=0.01,
    label_size=40,
    linewidth=2,
    kind='elevation',
    line_color=plt.get_cmap('Reds'),
    background_color=darker_color,
)

plt.savefig(OUTPUT, dpi=600, bbox_inches='tight', pad_inches=0.1)

Conclusion

This visualization is reminiscent of infamous album artwork from Joy Division. The Python Package used to create it, ridgemap, has become my new favorite way to demonstrate the dimension of elevation.