Small Worlds: Strong Clustering in Wireless Networks

Abstract

Small-worlds represent efficient communication networks that obey two distinguishing characteristics: a high clustering coefficient together with a small characteristic path length. This paper focuses on an interesting paradox, that removing links in a network can increase the overall clustering coefficient. Reckful Roaming, as introduced in this paper, is a 2-localized algorithm that takes advantage of this paradox in order to selectively remove superfluous links, this way optimizing the clustering coefficient while still retaining a sufficiently small characteristic path length.