Contextual analysis framework for bursty dynamics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a general framework for analyzing bursty dynamics in natural and social processes by decomposing the process into sub-processes and examining the relationship between contextual and collective bursts.

Contribution

It provides a novel theoretical analysis linking sub-process bursts to overall bursty behavior using minimal assumptions about inter-event times.

Findings

Framework effectively decomposes bursty dynamics into sub-processes.

Theoretical relationship established between contextual and collective inter-event time distributions.

Framework aids in exploiting contextual information in bursty processes.

Abstract

To understand the origin of bursty dynamics in natural and social processes we provide a general analysis framework, in which the temporal process is decomposed into sub-processes and then the bursts in sub-processes, called contextual bursts, are combined to collective bursts in the original process. For the combination of sub-processes, it is required to consider the distribution of different contexts over the original process. Based on minimal assumptions for inter-event time statistics, we present a theoretical analysis for the relationship between contextual and collective inter-event time distributions. Our analysis framework helps to exploit contextual information available in decomposable bursty dynamics.