Link prediction via layer relevance of multiplex networks

Abstract

In complex networks, the existing link prediction methods primarily focus on the internal structural information derived from single-layer networks. However, the role of interlayer information is hardly recognized in multiplex networks, which provide more diverse structural features than single-layer networks. Actually, the structural properties and functions of one layer can affect that of other layers in multiplex networks. In this paper, the effect of interlayer structural properties on the link prediction performance is investigated in multiplex networks. By utilizing the intralayer and interlayer information, we propose a novel “Node Similarity Index” based on “Layer Relevance” (NSILR) of multiplex network for link prediction. The performance of NSILR index is validated on each layer of seven multiplex networks in real-world systems. Experimental results show that the NSILR index can significantly improve the prediction performance compared with the traditional methods, which only consider the intralayer information. Furthermore, the more relevant the layers are, the higher the performance is enhanced.