Skeleton and Fractal Scaling in Complex Networks

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Abstract
We find that the fractal scaling in a class of scale-free networks originates from the underlying tree structure called a skeleton, a special type of spanning tree based on the edge betweenness centrality. The fractal skeleton has the property of the critical branching tree. The original fractal networks are viewed as a fractal skeleton dressed with local shortcuts. An in silico model with both the fractal scaling and the scale-invariance properties is also constructed. The framework of fractal networks is useful in understanding the utility and the redundancy in networked systems. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.018701 © 2006 The American Physical Society