Range-based attacks on links in random scale-free networks

TL;DR

This paper analytically investigates how range-based attacks affect the efficiency of random scale-free networks, revealing that short-range attacks are more destructive, supported by numerical confirmation and consistent with previous studies.

Contribution

It provides an analytical relation between range and load in RSF networks using generating function theory and estimates the impact of attacks on network efficiency.

Findings

Short-range attacks are more destructive in RSF networks.

Analytical relation between range and load established.

Numerical results confirm the analytical predictions.

Abstract

$Range$ and $load$ play keys on the problem of attacking on links in random scale-free (RSF) networks. In this Brief Report we obtain the relation between $range$ and $load$ in RSF networks analytically by the generating function theory, and then give an estimation about the impact of attacks on the $efficiency$ of the network. The analytical results show that short range attacks are more destructive for RSF networks, and are confirmed numerically. Further our results are consistent with the former literature (Physical Review E \textbf{66}, 065103(R) (2002)).