Interdependent networks

Interdependent networks are coupled networks whose components rely on components in other networks. A failure in one network can therefore trigger failures in another and spread across the system.

Dependency link: A connection indicating that one component requires another component to function. It represents the cross-network reliance that lets a failure propagate.
Network (graph theory): A set of nodes connected by edges, used to represent relationships or interactions. Each layer of an interdependent system can be represented as a network.
Critical infrastructure: Physical and organizational systems whose continued operation is essential to society. Its sectors often depend on one another for uninterrupted service.
Multiplex network: A network with multiple types of edges connecting the same set of nodes. Multiplex layers represent different relations, not necessarily dependencies between distinct systems.
Cascading failure: A sequence in which an initial failure causes further failures in a system. A failed component can disable dependent components in other networks.
Complex network: A network with structural properties not captured by simple regular graphs or random graphs. Many real-world infrastructure layers have complex, nonuniform structures.
Electric power system: An interconnected system that generates, transmits, and distributes electrical energy. Power supplies communication, water, transport, and other network services.
Multilayer network: A network model containing multiple layers of nodes or connections with possible cross-layer links. Interdependent networks are a specific case where cross-layer links encode functional reliance.
Percolation theory: The mathematical study of connectivity in systems where components or connections are randomly removed. It provides tools for analyzing when damage breaks connectivity across coupled networks.
Network topology: The pattern of connections among nodes in a network. Topology shapes which failures can spread widely through a dependent layer.

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