Universality of critical dynamics on a complex network

Abstract

We investigate the role of the spectral dimension $d_s$ in determining the universality of phase transitions on a complex network. Due to its structural heterogeneity, a complex network generally acts as a disordered system. Specifically, we study the synchronization and entrainment transitions in the nonequilibrium dynamics of the Kuramoto model and the phase transition of the equilibrium dynamics of the classical $XY$ model, thereby covering a broad spectrum from nonlinear dynamics to statistical and condensed matter physics. Using linear theory, we obtain a general relationship between the dynamics occurring on the network and the underlying network properties. This yields the lower critical spectral dimension of the phase synchronization and entrainment transitions in the Kuramoto model as $d_s=4$ and $d_s=2$, respectively, whereas for the phase transition in the $XY$ model it is $d_s=2$. To test our theoretical hypotheses, we employ a network where any two nodes on the network are connected with a probability proportional to a power law of the distance between the nodes; this realizes any desired $d_s\in [1,\infty )$. Our detailed numerical study agrees well with the prediction of linear theory for the phase synchronization transition in the Kuramoto model. However, it shows a clear entrainment transition in the Kuramoto model and phase transition in the $XY$ model at $d_s\gtrsim 3$, not $d_s=2$ as predicted by linear theory. Our study indicates that network disorder in the region $2\le d_s\lesssim 3$ introduces strong finite-size fluctuations, which makes it extremely difficult to probe the existence of the ordered phase as predicted, affecting the dynamics profoundly.