The $k$-core of a graph and its high-order spectra

Abstract

The $k$-core of a graph is its largest subgraph with minimum degree at least $k$, a fundamental concept for uncovering hierarchical structures. In this paper, we establish a connection between the $k$-core and the high-order spectra of graphs, a concept originally introduced by Cvetkovi\'{c}, Doob, and Sachs. Specifically, we consider the high-order spectra defined via the $k$-adjacency tensor. Within this framework, we prove that a graph admits a non-empty $k$-core if and only if the spectral radius of the $k$-adjacency tensor is greater than or equal to $1$. Moreover, when the $k$-core exists, vertices corresponding to positive entries in the Perron vector of the $k$-adjacency tensor belong to the $k$-core. We thus define the $k$-order eigenvector centrality via the Perron vector, which provides both membership identification and a measure of relative influence within the $k$-core. Numerical experiments confirm our theoretical findings and illustrate the properties of this centrality measure in some real-world networks.