Regensburg 2013 – scientific programme

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SOE: Fachverband Physik sozio-ökonomischer Systeme

SOE 15: Focus Session: Dynamics of Adaptive Networks (joint with DY and BP)

SOE 15.3: Talk

Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 10:15–10:30, H37

Resilience of collective dynamics in fluctuating network environments — •Alexander Grimm — ETH Zürich, Chair of Systems Design, Switzerland

Do totalitarian networks perform better than democratic networks? What is the most appropriate hierarchy level for networks embedded in volatile environments? We use agent-based models to discover the effect of hierarchy on performance in networks located in highly fluctuating environments. We investigate the emergence of collective dynamics of many units embedded in complex network environments which change boundary conditions constantly. The agents have to adopt their behavior due to these constantly changing conditions. Although the individual node properties do not change, the network shows permanently changing structure with enormously differing properties. The fluctuating environments come into force via three different dynamics which happen on different time scales in adiabatic approximations. We show that a synchronization process is a good approach to model information transfer. The information transfer in the model interlinks the three dynamics. First, the link formation process is the most fundamental process. It is driven by centrality. Second, the a synchronization process describes the information transfer among the nodes. And third, an endogenized node churn removes those nodes which deviate from the networks' common culture. In differing hierarchy values we find a phase transition in centrality. Hysteresis effects and trade-off properties make it possible to determine the most appropriate topology of the network, given its operation area.