Direct, physically-motivated derivation of the contagion condition for spreading processes on generalized random networks

TL;DR

This paper provides a direct, physically motivated derivation of the contagion condition for spreading processes on generalized random networks, offering a clear mechanical understanding of global spreading phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a unifying, physically intuitive analytic expression for contagion thresholds on generalized random networks, simplifying previous complex mathematical methods.

Findings

Derived a unifying contagion condition expression

Provided a physically intuitive understanding of spreading phenomena

Simplified analysis of contagion thresholds

Abstract

For a broad range single-seed contagion processes acting on generalized random networks, we derive a unifying analytic expression for the possibility of global spreading events in a straightforward, physically intuitive fashion. Our reasoning lays bare a direct mechanical understanding of an archetypal spreading phenomena that is not evident in circuitous extant mathematical approaches.