Characteristics of edge-based interdependent networks

Edge-based interdependent networks (EIN) where edges in one network layer are interdependent with edges in other layers, as contrast to the classical interdependent networks (NIN) where nodes in one layer are interdependent with nodes in other layers, have been an emerging topic in the field of interdependent networks. In this paper, by proposing an EIN on a quenched network perspective, we find that EIN is generally more robust than NIN and further reveal that this property roots in the fact that in a network the excessive degree of an edge is on an average larger than the degree of a node. A theory is developed based on a quenched network framework to verify this property, where the notion of compound excessive degree (CED) of an edge is introduced. The introduction of CED allows to define several novel properties of EIN, including the interlayer correlation and malicious attack relevant to CED. Systematic investigations on these properties are provided to extend the understanding of interdependent networks from the perspective of edge-interdependency.