arXiv · 1103.0922
Impact of Single Links in Competitive Percolation -- How complex networks grow under competition
Also available from
Abstract
How a complex network is connected crucially impacts its dynamics and function. Percolation, the transition to extensive connectedness upon gradual addition of links, was long believed to be continuous but recent numerical evidence on "explosive percolation" suggests that it might as well be discontinuous if links compete for addition. Here we analyze the microscopic mechanisms underlying discontinuous percolation processes and reveal a strong impact of single link additions. We show that in generic competitive percolation processes, including those displaying explosive percolation, single links do not induce a discontinuous gap in the largest cluster size in the thermodynamic limit. Nevertheless, our results highlight that for large finite systems single links may still induce observable gaps because gap sizes scale weakly algebraically with system size. Several essentially macroscopic clusters coexist immediately before the transition, thus announcing discontinuous percolation. These results explain how single links may drastically change macroscopic connectivity in networks where links add competitively.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Explore connections, maps & timelines
Jan Nagler, Anna Levina, Marc Timme. 2011-03-04. Impact of Single Links in Competitive Percolation -- How complex networks grow under competition. https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys1860
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.