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Multiplexity-facilitated cascades in networks

Charles D. Brummitt, Kyu-Min Lee, and K.-I. Goh
Phys. Rev. E 85, 045102(R) – Published 27 April 2012

Abstract

Elements of networks interact in many ways, so modeling them with graphs requires multiple types of edges (or network layers). Here we show that such multiplex networks are generically more vulnerable to global cascades than simplex networks. We generalize the threshold cascade model [Watts, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99, 5766 (2002)] to multiplex networks, in which a node activates if a sufficiently large fraction of neighbors in any layer are active. We show that both combining layers (i.e., realizing other interactions play a role) and splitting a network into layers (i.e., recognizing distinct kinds of interactions) facilitate cascades. Notably, layers unsusceptible to global cascades can cooperatively achieve them if coupled. On one hand, this suggests fundamental limitations on predicting cascades without full knowledge of a system's multiplexity; on the other hand, it offers feasible means to control cascades by introducing or removing sparse layers in an existing network.

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  • Received 2 December 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.85.045102

©2012 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Charles D. Brummitt1, Kyu-Min Lee2, and K.-I. Goh2,*

  • 1Department of Mathematics and Complexity Sciences Center, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA
  • 2Department of Physics and Institute of Basic Science, Korea University, Seoul 136-713, Korea

  • *kgoh@korea.ac.kr

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Vol. 85, Iss. 4 — April 2012

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