The evolution of network controllability in growing networks

Abstract

The study of network structural controllability focuses on the minimum number of driver nodes needed to control a whole network. Despite intensive studies on this topic, most of them consider static networks only. It is well-known, however, that real networks are growing, with new nodes and links added to the system. Here, we analyze controllability of evolving networks and propose a general rule for the change of driver nodes. We further apply the rule to solve the problem of network augmentation subject to the controllability constraint. The findings fill a gap in our understanding of network controllability and shed light on controllability of real systems.