Statistical self-similarity of hotspot seamount volumes modeled as self-similar criticality

The processes responsible for hotspot seamount formation are complex, yet t he cumulative frequency-volume distribution of hotspot seamounts in the Eas ter Island/Salas y Gomez Chain (ESC) is found to be well-described by an up per-truncated power law. We develop a model for hotspot seamount formation where uniform energy input produces events initiated on a self-similar dist ribution of critical cells. We call this model Self-Similar Criticality (SS C). By allowing the spatial distribution of magma migration to be self-simi lar, the SSC model recreates the observed ESC seamount volume distribution. The SSC model may have broad applicability to other natural systems.