The Impact of Local Power Balance and Link Reliability on Blackout Risk in Heterogeneous Power Transmission Grids

Many critical infrastructures such as the power transmission grid are heterogeneous both in their basic structure and in some of their underlying characteristics, This heterogeneity can be good for system robustness if it reduces the spread of failures or bad if it adds risk or vulnerability to the system. In this paper we investigate the effect of heterogeneity in the strength of the links between parts of the system network structures, as well as the balance of local generation and demand, on the robustness of the power transmission grid using the OPA complex system model of the power transmission system. It is found that increasing or decreasing the reliability of the links between parts of the grid changes the likelihood of different size failures with neither being optimal for all sizes. Furthermore, imbalances between load and generation in the local regions further degrades the system reliability

Random walks on complex networks with inhomogeneous impact

In many complex systems, for the activity f(i) of the constituents or nodes i, a power-law relationship was discovered between the standard deviation sigma(i) and the average strength of the activity: sigma(i) ~ ^alpha; universal values alpha = 1/2 or 1 were found, however, with exceptions. With the help of an impact variable we introduce a random walk model where the activity is the product of the number of visitors at a node and their impact. If the impact depends strongly on the node connectivity and the properties of the carrying network are broadly distributed (like in a scale free network) we find both analytically and numerically non-universal alpha values. The exponent always crosses over to the universal value of 1 if the external drive dominates.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, revised tex

Effective dimensions and percolation in hierarchically structured scale-free networks

We introduce appropriate definitions of dimensions in order to characterize the fractal properties of complex networks. We compute these dimensions in a hierarchically structured network of particular interest. In spite of the nontrivial character of this network that displays scale-free connectivity among other features, it turns out to be approximately one-dimensional. The dimensional characterization is in agreement with the results on statistics of site percolation and other dynamical processes implemented on such a network.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

A new formulation of compartmental epidemic modelling for arbitrary distributions of incubation and removal times

The paradigm for compartment models in epidemiology assumes exponentially distributed incubation and removal times, which is not realistic in actual populations. Commonly used variations with multiple exponentially distributed variables are more flexible, yet do not allow for arbitrary distributions. We present a new formulation, focussing on the SEIR concept that allows to include general distributions of incubation and removal times. We compare the solution to two types of agent-based model simulations, a spatially homogeneous one where infection occurs by proximity, and a model on a scale-free network with varying clustering properties, where the infection between any two agents occurs via their link if it exists. We find good agreement in both cases. Furthermore a family of asymptotic solutions of the equations is found in terms of a logistic curve, which after a non-universal time shift, fits extremely well all the microdynamical simulations. The formulation allows for a simple numerical approach; software in Julia and Python is provided.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figures. v2 matches published version: improved presentation (including title, abstract and references), results and conclusions unchange

Spatial networks with wireless applications

Many networks have nodes located in physical space, with links more common between closely spaced pairs of nodes. For example, the nodes could be wireless devices and links communication channels in a wireless mesh network. We describe recent work involving such networks, considering effects due to the geometry (convex,non-convex, and fractal), node distribution, distance-dependent link probability, mobility, directivity and interference.Comment: Review article- an amended version with a new title from the origina

Effect of disorder and noise in shaping the dynamics of power grids

The aim of this paper is to investigate complex dynamic networks which can model high-voltage power grids with renewable, fluctuating energy sources. For this purpose we use the Kuramoto model with inertia to model the network of power plants and consumers. In particular, we analyse the synchronization transition of networks of $N$ phase oscillators with inertia (rotators) whose natural frequencies are bimodally distributed, corresponding to the distribution of generator and consumer power. First, we start from globally coupled networks whose links are successively diluted, resulting in a random Erd\"os-Renyi network. We focus on the changes in the hysteretic loop while varying inertial mass and dilution. Second, we implement Gaussian white noise describing the randomly fluctuating input power, and investigate its role in shaping the dynamics. Finally, we briefly discuss power grid networks under the impact of both topological disorder and external noise sources.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Piezospectroscopic measurement of high-frequency vibrations in a pulse-tube cryostat

Vibrations in cryocoolers are a recurrent concern to the end user. They appear in different parts of the acoustic spectrum depending on the refrigerator type, Gifford McMahon or pulse-tube, and with a variable coupling strength to the physical system under interest. Here, we use the piezospectroscopic effect in rare-earth doped crystals at low temperature as a high resolution, contact-less probe for the vibrations. With this optical spectroscopic technique, we obtain and analyze the vibration spectrum up to 700kHz of a 2kW pulse-tube cooler. We attempt an absolute calibration based on known experimental parameters to make our method partially quantitative and to provide a possible comparison with other well-established techniques