Aggregate-networks and p-cores of monoflow partially overlapped multilayer systems

TL;DR

This paper develops new structural features and methods for analyzing monoflow partially overlapped multilayer networks, focusing on aggregate-networks, p-cores, and targeted attack scenarios to understand and control intersystem interactions.

Contribution

It introduces the concepts of aggregate-networks and p-cores for multilayer networks, providing tools to simplify analysis and identify key elements for controlling intersystem interactions.

Findings

Aggregate-networks simplify the study of intersystem interactions.

p-cores help identify components involved in intersystem processes.

Targeted attack scenarios can prevent epidemic spread.

Abstract

The paper introduces a number of structural and functional features of classification of multilayer networks (MLN), by means of which distinguish monoflow partially overlapped MLN, that are quite common in the study of intersystem interactions of different nature. The concept of MLN's aggregate-network is defined, which in many cases significantly simplifies the study of intersystem interactions, and the properties of its k-cores are investigated. The notion of p-cores is introduced, with help of which the components of MLN that are directly involved in the implementation of intersystem interactions are distinguished. Methods of reducing the complexity of multilayer network models are investigated, which allow us to significantly decrease their dimensionality and better understand the processes that take place in complex network systems and intersystem interactions of different types. Using the introduced local and global structural characteristics of elements, effective scenarios of targeted attacks on monoflow partially overlapped multilayer networks have been developed, the main attention of which is focused on the transition points of MLN through which intersystem interactions are actually realized. It is shown that these scenarios can also be used to solve the inverse problem, namely, which elements of MLN should be blocked in the first place to prevent the acceleration of spread of epidemics of dangerous infectious diseases, etc.