Edge-Based Minimal k-Core Subgraph Search

Abstract

In social networks, k-core is commonly used to measure the stability of a network. When a user in a k-core leaves the network, other users may follow the user to leave. Hence, maintaining a key user is important to keep the stability of a network. It is known that an edge between two users models the relationship between the two users. In some scenarios, maintaining a relationship comes at a cost. Therefore, selectively in maintaining the relationships between users is crucial. In this paper, we for the first time conceive the concept of an edge-based minimal k-core model. An edge-based minimal k-core is a k-core with a minimal number of edges. In other words, removing any edge in an edge-based minimal k-core would make it not be a k-core any more. Based on this model, we proposed two problems, namely, an edge-based minimal k-core subgraph search (EMK-SS) and an edge-based minimal k-core subgraph search with a query node q (EMK-q-SS). Given a graph G, an integer k, and a query node (a key user) q, the EMK-q-SS problem is to find all the edge-based minimal k-cores containing the query node q, and the EMK-SS problem is to find all the edge-based minimal k-cores. We also theoretically prove that the two problems are both NP-complete. To deal with the proposed problems, we design two novel algorithms, namely the edge deletion algorithm and edge extension algorithm. Further, a graph partitioning technique is employed to speed up the computation. Comprehensive experiments on synthetic and real networks are conducted to demonstrate the effect and efficiency of our proposed methods.