Percolation of a general network of networks

Abstract

Percolation theory is an approach to study vulnerability of a system. We develop analytical framework and analyze percolation properties of a network composed of interdependent networks (NetONet). Typically, percolation of a single network shows that the damage in the network due to a failure is a continuous function of the fraction of failed nodes. In sharp contrast, in NetONet, due to the cascading failures, the percolation transition may be discontinuous and even a single node failure may lead to abrupt collapse of the system. We demonstrate our general framework for a NetONet composed of $n$ classic Erdős-Rényi (ER) networks, where each network depends on the same number $m$ of other networks, i.e., a random regular network of interdependent ER networks. In contrast to a \emph{treelike} NetONet in which the size of the largest connected cluster (mutual component) depends on $n$, the loops in the RR NetONet cause the largest connected cluster to depend only on $m$. We also analyzed the extremely vulnerable feedback condition of coupling. In the case of ER networks, the NetONet only exhibits two phases, a second order phase transition and collapse, and there is no first phase transition regime unlike the no feedback condition. In the case of NetONet composed of RR networks, there exists a first order phase transition when $q$ is large and second order phase transition when $q$ is small. Our results can help in designing robust interdependent systems.