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Random walks on graphs: ideas, techniques and results

2005, Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General

Abstract

Random walks on graphs are widely used in all sciences to describe a great variety of phenomena where dynamical random processes are affected by topology. In recent years, relevant mathematical results have been obtained in this field, and new ideas have been introduced, which can be fruitfully extended to different areas and disciplines. Here we aim at giving a brief but comprehensive perspective of these progresses, with a particular emphasis on physical aspects. Contents 1 Introduction 2 Mathematical description of graphs 3 The random walk problem 4 The generating functions 5 Random walks on finite graphs 6 Infinite graphs 7 Random walks on infinite graphs 8 Recurrence and transience: the type problem 9 The local spectral dimension 10 Averages on infinite graphs 11 The type problem on the average 1 12 The average spectral dimension 21 13 A survey of analytical results on specific networks 23 13.1 Renormalization techniques. .