When p ≥ 0.70 VASCO transients and plate-aware random controls are projected onto a shell at 35,786 km altitude and binned in 5°×5° Earth-fixed cells, 16 of the 137 cells with at least 5 expected transients show an excess over control expectation that is significant after Bonferroni correction.

The calculation that 16 of 137 projected Earth cells show Bonferroni-significant excesses relative to random controls is mathematically documented in Bruehl et al. (2026) for candidates with probability ≥ 0.70 projected onto a 35,786 km shell. This establishes the statistical finding as reported. The strongest opposing consideration is that the projection arbitrarily fixes altitude at geosynchronous orbit, despite companion papers favoring 20,000–25,000 km, and geographic hotspot locations shift substantially when varying the assumed altitude shell.

TRN-E041 documents the 16-of-137 Bonferroni-significant cells as the claim states. But every hotspot location depends on a single fixed altitude the companion paper's own estimator disfavors (TRN-E078), the control is the group's own construction, the largest O/E ratios occur in cells fed by only one to three plates, the authors concede their two methods' agreement "does not rule out" defect-driven hotspots, and ChatGPT assisted the sample preparation and tests. Strongest opposing consideration: a plate with an elevated defect rate projects its excess to whatever Earth cell the assumed geometry assigns, so the test does not isolate sky structure.

TRN-E041 directly reports the stated 16 of 137 Bonferroni-significant cells using the specified probability cut, projection altitude, grid, and plate-aware controls. This supports the local computational result, not the conclusion that the cells locate real orbiting objects. The strongest opposing consideration is that the analysis uses the same contested catalog and a single assumed altitude, with several large excesses supplied by very few plates and projected locations changing when altitude changes.

Bruehl et al. report 16 of 137 Earth-fixed 5°×5° cells at 35,786 km with Bonferroni-significant excess over plate-aware controls among p≥0.70 transients. Projection location is strictly altitude- dependent; controls and ML probabilities are group-constructed; two high-O/E cells are single-plate. Strongest opposing consideration: a plate with elevated defect rate projects its excess into whatever Earth cell the fixed-altitude geometry assigns, so hotspot significance is not a sky test.

TRN-E041 reports the claim's specifics accurately, so the analysis returns what is stated. Whether that means anything about the sky is a different question: the excess is measured against the group's own per-plate control, all positions are computed at one assumed altitude that the companion paper's own estimator does not prefer (TRN-E078), the largest O/E ratios come from cells fed by one to three plates, and the paper concedes that method agreement cannot rule out defect-driven hotspots. TRN-E075 helpfully shows most cells draw on two or more plates, which blunts the single-bad-plate story. The strongest opposing consideration is structural: a plate with an elevated defect rate projects its excess to whatever Earth cell the fixed geometry assigns it, so significance here is not a test of the sky (TRN-R011).

TRN-E041 (moderate): 16 of 137 cells Bonferroni-significant against the group's own plate-aware random control at a fixed 35,786 km shell. Child records: TRN-E075/E077 (14 cells fed by ≥2 plates; two by the single plate XE435), TRN-E078 (all locations depend on the assumed altitude; the companion paper's estimator prefers 20,000 km). The statistical finding as reported is credible; its interpretation as sky structure is not — a plate's defect excess projects to whatever cell the geometry assigns it, and the paper concedes agreement between its methods does not rule this out.

TRN-E041 (moderate, supports) reports the 16-of-137 excess; TRN-E078 (context) records the fixed-altitude projection. The excess is relative to the group's own control on the same catalog and filter; data are not public.

When projecting the quality-filtered transient sample onto a 35,786 km shell, Bruehl et al. document that 16 of 137 cells exceed random control expectations at a Bonferroni-corrected threshold. This accurately reports the mathematical result of their projection exercise. Strongest opposing consideration: The projected Earth-fixed coordinates depend entirely on assuming a single fixed altitude (35,786 km), and high-excess cells are strongly dominated by transient counts from single, anomalous plates.

TRN-E041 reports the 16/137 Bonferroni-significant cells as claimed, and 14 of 16 cells draw on more than one plate (TRN-E075). But the control is the group's own construction, the projection assumes a fixed 35,786 km altitude that the authors concede determines all locations (TRN-E078), the cells with the largest O/E ratios are fed by only one to three plates, and the paper itself concedes the two methods' agreement "does not rule out" defect-driven hotspots. Strongest opposing consideration: a plate with a high defect rate projects its excess onto whatever Earth cell the assumed geometry assigns — hotspot significance is not a test of the sky.

TRN-E041 directly reports 16 significant cells among 137 eligible Earth-fixed cells after Bonferroni-corrected conditional binomial tests, matching the claim's numbers and selection threshold. This supports the claim as a reported output of the specified projection and control procedure. The strongest opposing consideration is that every location depends on an assumed 35,786 km altitude and on the group's contested catalog and control construction, so significance does not establish physical Earth-fixed hotspots.

Projection of p≥0.70 candidates onto a fixed 35 786 km shell yields 16 of 137 cells with Bonferroni-significant excess relative to the group’s own plate-aware controls (E041). Locations are altitude-dependent, absolute O/E ratios are largest in cells fed by few plates, and the sample is the same contested catalog. Strongest opposing consideration is that a plate with elevated defect rate will project its excess to whatever Earth cell the chosen altitude assigns.

The hotspot preprint reports this result from Bonferroni-corrected tests against plate-aware controls (E041). The tests assume a fixed 35,786 km projection, on which every location depends (E078). The result stands only as an unreproduced computation on non-public data, with ChatGPT-assisted test preparation. Strongest opposing consideration: the largest O/E ratios (up to 17.9) sit in cells fed by one to three plates, and two cells are fed solely by plate XE435 (E077). The excess can therefore be a few plates' candidate rates projected onto Earth (TRN-R011).

TRN-E041 reports 16 of 137 cells significant after Bonferroni correction against the group's own plate-aware control. TRN-E078 describes the fixed-altitude projection method. As a statement of what the analysis returned, the claim is supported; its meaning is weak. The locations depend on the assumed 35,786 km altitude, and the catalog and filter are those of every group result.