Factors that predict better synchronizability on complex networks

TL;DR

This paper investigates factors influencing synchronizability in complex networks, highlighting the significance of betweenness centrality over other factors like degree and path length.

Contribution

It identifies betweenness centrality as a key predictor of synchronizability, providing new insights into network synchronization mechanisms.

Findings

Betweenness centrality correlates strongly with synchronizability.

Degree and characteristic path length are less predictive.

Heterogeneity can suppress synchronization despite short path lengths.

Abstract

While shorter characteristic path length has in general been believed to enhance synchronizability of a coupled oscillator system on a complex network,the suppressing tendency of the heterogeneity of the degree distribution, even for shorter characteristic path length, has also been reported. To see this, we investigate the effects of various factors such as the degree, characteristic path length, heterogeneity, and betweenness centrality on synchronization, and find a consistent trend between the synchronization and the betweenness centrality. The betweenness centrality is thus proposed as a good indicator for synchronizability.