Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University ›› 2013, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (03): 479-483.

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Effect of Sampling on Growth Mechanisms of Complex Networks

 YANG  Bo, CHEN  Ying   

  1. (Management School, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China)
  • Received:2012-03-16 Online:2013-03-28 Published:2013-03-28

Abstract: The problem of whether the topological structure of network can be kept well when data is collected incompletely is concerned. The current focus on the effect of sampling on macro statistical properties has been extended to consideration of its effect on micro network mechanisms. A mechanism-inferring method of networks exploited from machine learning theory was used to identify the mechanisms of sampled networks obtained by different sampling methods. The results were compared with the original networks to analyze the impact of sampling on network mechanisms. It is found that different sampling methods have a nontrivial influence on growth mechanisms of networks. In conclusion, the hub-chain sampling strategy can keep mechanisms better than others. Meanwhile, hub sampling and chain sampling have more remarkable influences on network mechanisms than their effects on structural properties. In addition, there are some differences in the effects of sampling for different types of networks, which means in practice we should select suitable sampling method according to the research object of network to improve the accuracy of network building more effectively.

Key words: system science, complex networks, sampling, growth mechanism of network

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