The $q$-neighbor Ising model on multiplex networks with partial overlap of nodes

TL;DR

This study investigates the $q$-neighbor Ising model on multiplex networks with partial node overlap, revealing critical behaviors and phase transitions through analytical approximations and Monte Carlo simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of the $q$-neighbor Ising model on multiplex networks with partial overlap, comparing analytical approximations with simulations.

Findings

Model exhibits similar critical behavior to complete-layer networks at fixed $q$ and mean degree.

Discontinuous transitions and tricritical points occur at smaller overlaps as mean degree decreases.

Approximate analytical methods show good qualitative, and some quantitative, agreement with simulations.

Abstract

The $q$-neighbor Ising model for the opinion formation on multiplex networks with two layers in the form of random graphs (duplex networks), the partial overlap of nodes, and LOCAL\&AND spin update rule was investigated by means of the pair approximation and approximate Master equations as well as Monte Carlo simulations. Both analytic and numerical results show that for different fixed sizes of the $q$-neighborhood and finite mean degrees of nodes within the layers the model exhibits qualitatively similar critical behavior as the analogous model on multiplex networks with layers in the form of complete graphs. However, as the mean degree of nodes is decreased the discontinuous ferromagnetic transition, the tricritical point separating it from the continuous transition and the possible coexistence of the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases at zero temperature occur for smaller relative sizes of the overlap. Predictions of the simple homogeneous pair approximation concerning the critical behavior of the model under study show good qualitative agreement with numerical results; predictions based on the approximate Master equations are usually quantitatively more accurate, but yet not exact. Two versions of the heterogeneous pair approximation are also derived for the model under study, which, surprisingly, yield predictions only marginally different or even identical to those of the simple homogeneous pair approximation. In general, predictions of all approximations show better agreement with the results of Monte Carlo simulations in the case of continuous than discontinuous ferromagnetic transition.