Functional Asynchronous Networks: Factorization of Dynamics and Function

TL;DR

This paper develops the theory of functional asynchronous networks, introducing a modularization theorem that allows the dynamics of complex networks to be factored into simpler subnetworks, aiding in understanding their functions.

Contribution

It presents the Modularization of Dynamics Theorem for functional asynchronous networks, enabling a complete description of network functions through constituent subnetworks.

Findings

Factorization of network dynamics into subnetworks

Complete description of network functions from events

Addresses a question from biological network theory

Abstract

In this note we describe the theory of functional asynchronous networks and one of the main results, the Modularization of Dynamics Theorem, which for a large class of functional asynchronous networks gives a factorization of dynamics in terms of constituent subnetworks. For these networks we can give a complete description of the network function in terms of the function of the events comprising the network and thereby answer a question originally raised by Alon in the context of biological networks.