Characterization of spatially distributed volcanism includes analysis of vent alignments, zones of high probability density and cluster membership assignment. Attempts to identify patterns from the spatial distribution of vents have resorted to various methods with the underlying assumption that results from any of those methods should provide quantitative evidence concerning the structure of the array. In contrast, the physical conditions leading to the creation of specific patterns of distribution have received less attention. In this work, the basis for some of the common expectations of studies of vent distribution, and how those expectations match the individual method-inherent assumptions, are reviewed. Throughout this work it is shown that the spatial distribution of volcanic vents allows us to extract much information concerning the physical structure of the sub-volcanic system. Nevertheless, attention must be given to the fact that not all systems are equal, and therefore, that it is a myth that any quantitative method can provide reliable information. Furthermore, it is shown that some methods even might yield false clues leading to the statistical validation of structures that have no physical support. Thus, in this paper it is highlighted that the selection of methods that fulfill the physical constraints likely to exist on the case of interest is extremely important to promote identification of the most plausible configurations in a robust form. Failure to acknowledge the importance of method selection can be detrimental for the correct understanding of the physical mechanisms underlying volcanic activity, and therefore such practices need to be avoided.

空间分布火山活动的表征包括分析喷口排列、高概率密度区域和集群成员分配。试图从喷口的空间分布中识别模式已经采用了各种方法，其基本假设是这些方法中的任何一种都应提供有关阵列结构的定量证据。相比之下，导致产生特定分布模式的物理条件受到的关注较少。在这项工作中，回顾了对通风口分布研究的一些共同预期的基础，以及这些预期如何与各个方法固有的假设相匹配。在整个工作中，表明火山喷口的空间分布使我们能够提取有关次火山系统物理结构的大量信息。然而，必须注意并非所有系统都是平等的，因此，任何定量方法都可以提供可靠信息是一个神话。此外，研究表明，某些方法甚至可能会产生错误线索，导致对没有物理支撑的结构进行统计验证。因此，在本文中，强调选择满足可能存在于感兴趣的情况下的物理约束的方法对于促进以稳健的形式识别最合理的配置非常重要。