Preferential deletion in dynamic models of web-like networks

In this paper a discrete-time dynamic random graph process is studied that interleaves the birth of nodes and edges with the death of nodes. In this model, at each time step either a new node is added or an existing node is deleted. A node is added with probability p together with an edge incident on it. The node at the other end of this new edge is chosen based on a linear preferential attachment rule. A node (and all the edges incident on it) is deleted with probability q = 1 - p. The node to be deleted is chosen based on a probability distribution that favors small-degree nodes, in view of recent empirical findings. We analyze the degree distribution of this model and find that the expected fraction of nodes with degree k in the graph generated by this process decreases asymptotically as k(-1-)(2p/2p(-1)). (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.