Deleting edges to restrict the size of an epidemic in temporal networks

Enright, J.; Meeks, K.; Mertzios, G.B.; Zamaraev, V.

Abstract

Spreading processes on graphs are a natural model for a wide variety of real-world phenomena, including information spread over social networks and biological diseases spreading over contact networks. Often, the networks over which these processes spread are dynamic in nature, and can be modeled with temporal graphs. Here, we study the problem of deleting edges from a given temporal graph in order to reduce the number of vertices (temporally) reachable from a given starting point. This could be used to control the spread of a disease, rumour, etc. in a temporal graph. In particular, our aim is to find a temporal subgraph in which a process starting at any single vertex can be transferred to only a limited number of other vertices using a temporally-feasible path. We introduce a natural edge-deletion problem for temporal graphs and provide positive and negative results on its computational complexity and approximability.

Citation

Enright, J., Meeks, K., Mertzios, G., & Zamaraev, V. (2021). Deleting edges to restrict the size of an epidemic in temporal networks. Journal of Computer and System Sciences, 119, 60-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcss.2021.01.007

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 29, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Feb 12, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Deposit Date: Feb 9, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 12, 2022
• Journal: Journal of Computer and System Sciences
• Print ISSN: 0022-0000
• Electronic ISSN: 1090-2724
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 119
• Pages: 60-77
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcss.2021.01.007
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1246798