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Models for the hotspot distribution
Author(s) -
Jurdy Donna M.,
Stefanick Michael
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl017i011p01965
Subject(s) - hotspot (geology) , power law , geology , fractal dimension , probability distribution , statistical physics , fractal , statistics , mathematics , seismology , physics , mathematical analysis
Published hotspot catalogues all show a hemispheric concentration beyond what can be expected by chance. Cumulative distributions about the center of concentration are described by a power law with a fractal dimension closer to 1 than 2. Random sets of the corresponding sizes do not show this effect. A simple shift of the random sets away from a point would produce distributions similar to those of hotspot sets. The possible relation of the hotspots to the locations of ridges and subduction zones is tested using large sets of randomly‐generated points to estimate areas within given distances of the plate boundaries. The probability of finding the observed number of hotspots within 10° of the ridges is about what is expected.