k-Core percolation on multiplex networks

Abstract: We generalize the theory of k-core percolation on complex networks to k-core percolation on multiplex networks, where k=(k_a, k_b, ...). Multiplex networks can be defined as networks with a set of vertices but different types of edges, a, b, ..., representing different types of interactions. For such networks, the k-core is defined as the largest sub-graph in which each vertex has at least k_i edges of each type, i = a, b, ... . We derive self-consistency equations to obtain the birth points of the k-cores and their relative sizes for uncorrelated multiplex networks with an arbitrary degree distribution. To clarify our general results, we consider in detail multiplex networks with edges of two types, a and b, and solve the equations in the particular case of ER and scale-free multiplex networks. We find hybrid phase transitions at the emergence points of k-cores except the (1,1)-core for which the transition is continuous. We apply the k-core decomposition algorithm to air-transportation multiplex networks, composed of two layers, and obtain the size of (k_a, k_b)-cores.