title: Random walks on complex networks.
abstract: We investigate random walks on complex networks and derive an exact expression for the mean first-passage time (MFPT) between two nodes. We introduce for each node the random walk centrality C, which is the ratio between its coordination number and a characteristic relaxation time, and show that it determines essentially the MFPT. The centrality of a node determines the relative speed by which a node can receive and spread information over the network in a random process. Numerical simulations of an ensemble of random walkers moving on paradigmatic network models confirm this analytical prediction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Dong
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rieger
mesh_terms: D020407:Internet; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012944:Social Support