Imperfect spreading on temporal networks

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how imperfect transmission and non-exponential contact times influence spreading processes on temporal networks, deriving key distributions and thresholds to inform strategies for enhancing or controlling spreading.

Contribution

It introduces a model for imperfect spreading on temporal networks with non-exponential contact times, deriving inter-success time distributions and epidemic thresholds.

Findings

Derived inter-success time distribution for spreading speed

Estimated epidemic threshold in finite infectious period

Discussed strategies to optimize spreading efficiency

Abstract

We study spreading on networks where the contact dynamics between the nodes is governed by a random process and where the inter-contact time distribution may differ from the exponential. We consider a process of imperfect spreading, where transmission is successful with a determined probability at each contact. We first derive an expression for the inter-success time distribution, determining the speed of the propagation, and then focus on a problem related to epidemic spreading, by estimating the epidemic threshold in a system where nodes remain infectious during a finite, random period of time. Finally, we discuss the implications of our work to design an efficient strategy to enhance spreading on temporal networks.