Correlation analysis of combined layers in multiplex networks based on entropy

Abstract

The interactions between layers of a multiplex network would generate new structural features, the most prominent feature being the existence of link overlaps between layers. How to capture the associations with the network behavior through the structural interaction between the combined layers of the multiplex network is a critical issue. In this paper, a new structure entropy is proposed by combining the overlapping links between the combined layers of a multiplex network. The correlation between layers is evaluated by structure entropy, and the results are consistent with the behaviors exhibited by the network. In addition, the validity and applicability of the proposed method were verified by conducting trials on four sets of real multiplex network data, which included the multiplex social network of a research department at Aarhus, tailor shop multiplex network, C. elegans multiplex network, and the network collected by Vickers from 29 seventh grade students in a school in Victoria.