The evolution of network controllability in growing networks

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the controllability of networks changes as they grow, providing a general rule for the evolution of driver nodes and addressing network augmentation under controllability constraints.

Contribution

It introduces a general rule for the evolution of driver nodes in growing networks and applies it to network augmentation problems.

Findings

Derived a rule for driver node change in evolving networks

Analyzed controllability in dynamic network growth scenarios

Provided insights into controlling real, growing systems

Abstract

The study of network structural controllability focuses on the minimum number of driver nodes needed to control a whole network. Despite intensive studies on this topic, most of them consider static networks only. It is well-known, however, that real networks are growing, with new nodes and links added to the system. Here, we analyze controllability of evolving networks and propose a general rule for the change of driver nodes. We further apply the rule to solve the problem of network augmentation subject to the controllability constraint. The findings fill a gap in our understanding of network controllability and shed light on controllability of real systems.