Uncertain Hypergraphs: A Conceptual Framework and Some Topological Characteristics Indexes

Abstract

In practical applications of hypergraph theory, we are usually surrounded by the state of indeterminacy. This paper employs uncertainty theory to address indeterministic information. We initially put forward the idea of an uncertain hypergraph by combining hypergraph theory with uncertainty theory in order to provide a useful tool to deal with a variety of uncertain complex systems and to create a new interdisciplinary research field. The main focus of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework of uncertain hypergraphs and to study the operations of uncertain hypergraphs. Moreover, some topological indexes are proposed to describe the characteristics of the structures of uncertain hypergraph. Additionally, some further research directions are discussed.