Long-range connections and mixed diffusion in fractional networks

Networks with long-range connections, obeying a distance-dependent power law of sufficiently small exponent, display superdiffusion, Levy flights and robustness properties very different from the scale-free networks. It has been proposed that these networks, found both in society and in biology, be classified as a new structure, the fractional networks. Particular important examples are the social networks and the modular hierarchical brain networks where both short- and long-range connections are present. The anomalous superdiffusive and the mixed diffusion behavior of these networks is studied here as well as its relation to the nature and density of the long-range connections. (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

Networks with long-range connections, known as fractional networks, exhibit superdiffusion, Levy flights, and robustness properties that are different from scale-free networks. This study investigates the anomalous superdiffusive and mixed diffusion behavior in such networks, particularly in social networks and modular hierarchical brain networks, and explores the relationship with the nature and density of long-range connections.