A reflection of our ultimate understanding of a complex system is our ability to control its behavior. Typically, control has multiple prerequisites: It requires an accurate map of the network that governs the interactions between the system's components, a quantitative description of the dynamical laws that govern the temporal behavior of each component, and an ability to influence the state and temporal behavior of a selected subset of the components. With deep roots in nonlinear dynamics and control theory, notions of control and controllability have taken a new life recently in the study of complex networks, inspiring several fundamental questions: What are the control principles of complex systems? How do networks organize themselves to balance control with functionality? To address these here we review recent advances on the controllability and the control of complex networks, exploring the intricate interplay between a system's structure, captured by its network topology, and the dynamical laws that govern the interactions between the components. We match the pertinent mathematical results with empirical findings and applications. We show that uncovering the control principles of complex systems can help us explore and ultimately understand the fundamental laws that govern their behavior.

Control Principles of Complex Networks

Structure identification of uncertain general complex dynamical networks with time delay

Data based identification and prediction of nonlinear and complex dynamical systems

We propose a method of analysis of dynamical networks based on a recent measure of Granger causality between time series, based on kernel methods. The generalization of kernel-Granger causality to the multivariate case, here presented, shares the following features with the bivariate measures: (i) the nonlinearity of the regression model can be controlled by choosing the kernel function and (ii) the problem of false causalities, arising as the complexity of the model increases, is addressed by a selection strategy of the eigenvectors of a reduced Gram matrix whose range represents the additional features due to the second time series. Moreover, there is no a priori assumption that the network must be a directed acyclic graph. We apply the proposed approach to a network of chaotic maps and to a simulated genetic regulatory network: it is shown that the underlying topology of the network can be reconstructed from time series of node's dynamics, provided that a sufficient number of samples is available. Considering a linear dynamical network, built by preferential attachment scheme, we show that for limited data use of the bivariate Granger causality is a better choice than methods using L1 minimization. Finally we consider real expression data from HeLa cells, 94 genes and 48 time points. The analysis of static correlations between genes reveals two modules corresponding to well-known transcription factors; Granger analysis puts in evidence 19 causal relationships, all involving genes related to tumor development.

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Kernel-Granger causality and the analysis of dynamical networks

Many existing papers investigated the geometric features, control and synchronization of complex dynamical networks provided with certain topology. However, the exact topology of a network is sometimes unknown or uncertain. Based on LaSalle’s invariance principle, we propose an adaptive feedback technique to identify the exact topology of a weighted general complex dynamical network model with time-varying coupling delay. By receiving the network nodes evolution, the topology of such a kind of network with identical or different nodes, or even with varying topology can be monitored. In comparison with previous methods, time delay is taken into account in this simple, analytical and systematic synchronization-based technique. Particularly, the weight configuration matrix is not necessarily symmetric or irreducible, and the inner-coupling matrix need not be symmetric. Illustrative simulations are provided to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

Synchronization-based topology identification of weighted general complex dynamical networks with time-varying coupling delay

We suggest a method for estimating the topology of a network based on the dynamical evolution supported on the network. Our method is robust and can be also applied when disturbances and/or modeling errors are presented. Several examples with networks of phase oscillators, pulse-coupled Hindmarch-Rose neurons, and Lorenz oscillators are provided to illustrate our approach.

Dongchuan Yu

Papers

Estimating topology of networks.

Identical synchronization, with translation invariance, implies parameter estimation