Eigenvector centrality in simplicial complexes of hypergraphs (Q6552157)

A centrality measure for (weighted) hypergraphs called Simplicial DualRank is introduced, in analogy to the classical principal eigenvector centrality notion from graph theory. The authors start by considering a given hypergraph as a simplicial complex, by adding in all the subsets of hyperedges. The structure of the hypergraph in terms of simplices is preserved in the (co)boundary matrix, which roughly plays the role of the graph-edge incidence matrix in the usual graph case. From this boundary matrix, a matrix with positive entries indexed by the simplices is defined and an application of the Perron-Frobenius theorem leads directly to the desired centrality measure.\N\NThe main difference with graph centrality notions is that in this view of hypergraphs as simplicial complexes, one can look both inward and outward from a simplex, which leads to the authors' notions of inner and outer centrality. The authors conclude with a small worked example and an investigation of hypergraphs coming from real-world scientific collaborations in physics.