Trading Interactions for Topology in Scale-Free Networks

Scale-free networks with topology-dependent interactions are studied. It is shown that the universality classes of critical behavior, which conventionally depend only on topology, can also be explored by tuning the interactions. A mapping, γ^′=(γ-μ)/(1-μ), describes how a shift of the standard exponent γ of the degree distribution P(q) can absorb the effect of degree-dependent pair interactions J_ij∝(q_iq_j)^-μ. The replica technique, cavity method, and Monte Carlo simulation support the physical picture suggested by Landau theory for the critical exponents and by the Bethe-Peierls approximation for the critical temperature. The equivalence of topology and interaction holds for equilibrium and nonequilibrium systems, and is illustrated with interdisciplinary applications.