Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
9727753 | Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications | 2005 | 10 Pages |
Abstract
Epidemiological processes are studied within a recently proposed hierarchical network model using the susceptible-infected-refractory dynamics of an epidemic. Within the network model, a population may be characterized by H independent hierarchies or dimensions, each of which consists of groupings of individuals into layers of subgroups. Detailed numerical simulations reveal that for H>1, global spreading results regardless of the degree of homophily of the individuals forming a social circle. For H=1, a transition from global to local spread occurs as the population becomes decomposed into increasingly homophilous groups. Multiple dimensions in classifying individuals (nodes) thus make a society (computer network) highly susceptible to large-scale outbreaks of infectious diseases (viruses).
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Mathematics
Mathematical Physics
Authors
Da-Fang Zheng, P.M. Hui, Steffen Trimper, Bo Zheng,