Dynamics on Complex Networks: Theory, Modelling, and Applications

A special issue of Mathematics (ISSN 2227-7390). This special issue belongs to the section "C2: Dynamical Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 316

Special Issue Editor

School of Mathematics and Statistics, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
Interests: network dismantling; percolation; hypergraph; higher-order network; deep learning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The study of dynamical processes on complex networks has become a cornerstone of contemporary mathematics, physics, biology, engineering, and the social sciences.  Modern data streams now reveal not only the intricate wiring of real‑world systems but also the rich, often nonlinear, temporal patterns that unfold on—and reshape—these structures. This Special Issue invites contributions on the forefront of network science, focusing on the complex interplay between structure and dynamics in non-traditional networks. As the field moves beyond static, single-layer representations, understanding the behavior of systems on more realistic and intricate architecture has become paramount.

We solicit original research and review articles that explore dynamics on temporal networks, multilayer networks, and higher-order networks (e.g., hypergraphs, simplicial complexes). A key focus is lies in controlling and optimizing of processes unfolding on these structures, from curbing epidemics to managing information diffusion.

We particularly welcome submissions addressing fundamental dynamical phenomena, including synchronization, where temporal and higher-order interactions can lead to novel collective states, and cascading failures and resilience, where multilayer dependencies critically alter system stability. The goal is to collate cutting-edge research that advances our theoretical understanding and provides new methodologies for analyzing, predicting, and controlling complex systems. We encourage interdisciplinary contributions that bridge theory and real-world applications, from neuroscience and epidemiology to critical infrastructure and social systems.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Zhulou Cao
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • higher order networks
  • hypergraph
  • multilayer networks
  • dynamical processes
  • game theory
  • percolation
  • network dismantling

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

22 pages, 1380 KB  
Article
Secure Dynamic Event-Triggered Cluster Synchronization Control of Complex Dynamical Networks Under Random Deception Attacks
by Yuncai Yu and Ling Liu
Mathematics 2025, 13(23), 3797; https://doi.org/10.3390/math13233797 - 26 Nov 2025
Viewed by 160
Abstract
This paper is concerned with the secure and resource-efficient cluster synchronization problem of a class of complex dynamical networks (CDNs) under random deception attacks. Each node in the CDNs is modeled by a nonlinear dynamical system with multiple time-varying delays and nonlinear couplings. [...] Read more.
This paper is concerned with the secure and resource-efficient cluster synchronization problem of a class of complex dynamical networks (CDNs) under random deception attacks. Each node in the CDNs is modeled by a nonlinear dynamical system with multiple time-varying delays and nonlinear couplings. The central aim is to make each cluster of nodes converge to the same reference trajectory that is distinct for each cluster regardless of the adverse effects of random deception attacks while ensuring communication efficiency for each node. Toward this aim, a distributed dynamic event-triggered mechanism is first proposed such that each node can make its own decisions to transmit or not its data of interest over the communication channel. Second, by suitably modeling the random deception attacks, secure and event-based cluster synchronization controllers are constructed, which incorporate both the effects of random deception attacks and intermittent data arrivals. Then, sufficient conditions ensuring the secure cluster synchronization of the delayed CDNs under randomly occurring deception attacks are established by constructing some appropriate Lyapunov functionals. Furthermore, tractable design criteria on the existence of desired cluster synchronization controllers are derived. Finally, an illustrative example is presented to validate the effectiveness of the main theoretical results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dynamics on Complex Networks: Theory, Modelling, and Applications)
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