Universal behavior of load distribution in scale-free networks

We study a problem of data packet transport in scale-free networks whose degree distribution follows a power law with the exponent gamma. Load, or "betweenness centrality," of a vertex is the accumulated total number of data packets passing through that vertex when every pair of vertices s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhysical review letters Vol. 87; no. 27 Pt 1; p. 278701
Main Authors Goh, K I, Kahng, B, Kim, D
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 31.12.2001
Subjects
Information Services
Models, Biological
Models, Theoretical
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Summary:We study a problem of data packet transport in scale-free networks whose degree distribution follows a power law with the exponent gamma. Load, or "betweenness centrality," of a vertex is the accumulated total number of data packets passing through that vertex when every pair of vertices sends and receives a data packet along the shortest path connecting the pair. It is found that the load distribution follows a power law with the exponent delta approximately 2.2(1), insensitive to different values of gamma in the range, 2 < gamma < or = 3, and different mean degrees, which is valid for both undirected and directed cases. Thus, we conjecture that the load exponent is a universal quantity to characterize scale-free networks.
ISSN:0031-9007
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.87.278701