More flexible radial layout

Abstract

We describe an algorithm for radial layout of undirected graphs, in which nodes are constrained to the circumferences of a set of concentric circles around the origin. Such constraints frequently occur in the layout of social or policy networks, when structural centrality is mapped to geometric centrality, or when the primary intention of the layout is the display of the vicinity of a distinguished node. We extend stress majorization by a weighting scheme which imposes radial constraints on the layout but also tries to preserve as much information about the graph structure as possible. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.