An improved pattern informatics (PI) method, inspired by the soup-of-groups model, is developed in this study. This improved method reveals its potential in reducing the noise that, when the classical PI is applied, can yield misleading conclusions about the existence of “hotspots” in the vicinity of the epicenter of a strong earthquake. The application of this new method to Italian seismicity from 1985 to 2018 properly reveals “hotspots” around the two strongest earthquakes that occurred in 2009 (L’Aquila earthquake) and 2016 (Norcia earthquake), suggesting its utility in studies devoted to earthquake prediction.

中文翻译：

---

模式信息学和地震组汤模型：以意大利地震为例

本研究开发了一种受组汤模型启发的改进模式信息学 (PI) 方法。这种改进的方法显示了它在降低噪声方面的潜力，当应用经典 PI 时，可能会产生关于强震震中附近存在“热点”的误导性结论。将这种新方法应用于 1985 年至 2018 年的意大利地震活动，正确揭示了 2009 年（拉奎拉地震）和 2016 年（诺尔恰地震）两次最强地震周围的“热点”，表明其在地震预测研究中的实用性。