title: Optimizing topological cascade resilience based on the structure of terrorist networks.
abstract: Complex socioeconomic networks such as information, finance and even terrorist networks need resilience to cascades--to prevent the failure of a single node from causing a far-reaching domino effect. We show that terrorist and guerrilla networks are uniquely cascade-resilient while maintaining high efficiency, but they become more vulnerable beyond a certain threshold. We also introduce an optimization method for constructing networks with high passive cascade resilience. The optimal networks are found to be based on cells, where each cell has a star topology. Counterintuitively, we find that there are conditions where networks should not be modified to stop cascades because doing so would come at a disproportionate loss of efficiency. Implementation of these findings can lead to more cascade-resilient networks in many diverse areas.
authors.affiliation: Center for Nonlinear Studies and T-5/D-6, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America. agutfraind.research@gmail.com
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gutfraind
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D023481:Terrorism