Dynamics of spatial networks: the case of transportation systems - Marc Barthélémy (Institut de Physique Théorique, Saclay)

Many complex systems are organized under the form of networks where nodes and edges are embedded in space. Examples of such spatial networks comprise transportation and infrastructure networks, some social networks, and biological networks as well. An important consequence of space on networks is that there is a cost associated to the length of edges which in turn has dramatic effects on the topological structure of these networks. In addition, these networks evolve and the difficulty is then to describe both their spatial and temporal dynamics. I will illustrate this phenomenon on infrastructure systems such as street networks, subways and railways. I will introduce the main tools for measuring their salient properties, discuss the main features of their growth, and explore the scaling relationships between their attributes and those of the substrate upon which they expand.

Contact: Aurélien Gourrier