Efficient Behavior of Small-World Networks

Other free copies

• Cornell University (arxiv.org)Preprint · PDF
• University of Padua (hdl.handle.net)Preprint · Web page
• Cornell University (doi.org)Free copy · Web page

Abstract

We introduce the concept of efficiency of a network as a measure of how efficiently it exchanges information. By using this simple measure, small-world networks are seen as systems that are both globally and locally efficient. This gives a clear physical meaning to the concept of "small world," and also a precise quantitative analysis of both weighted and unweighted networks. We study neural networks and man-made communication and transportation systems and we show that the underlying general principle of their construction is in fact a small-world principle of high efficiency.