title: Synchronization of interconnected networks: the role of connector nodes.
abstract: In this Letter we identify the general rules that determine the synchronization properties of interconnected networks. We study analytically, numerically, and experimentally how the degree of the nodes through which two networks are connected influences the ability of the whole system to synchronize. We show that connecting the high-degree (low-degree) nodes of each network turns out to be the most (least) effective strategy to achieve synchronization. We find the functional relation between synchronizability and size for a given network of networks, and report the existence of the optimal connector link weights for the different interconnection strategies. Finally, we perform an electronic experiment with two coupled star networks and conclude that the analytical results are indeed valid in the presence of noise and parameter mismatches.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Astrobiología, CSIC-INTA. Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain and Grupo Interdisciplinar de Sistemas Complejos (GISC).
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.affiliation: Centro Universitario de los Lagos, Universidad de Guadalajara, Enrique Díaz de Leon, Paseos de la Montaña, Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco 47460, Mexico and Laboratory of Biological Networks, Center for Biomedical Technology, UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sevilla-Escoboza
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Physics, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: Group of Computational Systems Biology, Center for Biomedical Technology, UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Networks, Center for Biomedical Technology, UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain and Complex Systems Group, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Buldú
mesh_terms: D008962:Models, Theoretical