## Citation Networks in High Energy Physics

S. Lehmann, B. E. Lautrup, A. D. Jackson

AbstractThe citation network constituted by the SPIRES data base is investigated empirically. The probability that a given paper in the SPIRES data base has $k$ citations is well described by simple power laws, $P(k) \propto k^{-\alpha}$, with $\alpha \approx 1.2$ for $k$ less than 50 citations and $\alpha \approx 2.3$ for 50 or more citations. Two models are presented that both represent the data well, one which generates power laws and one which generates a stretched exponential. It is not possible to discriminate between these models on the present empirical basis. A consideration of citation distribution by subfield shows that the citation patterns of high energy physics form a remarkably homogeneous network. Further, we utilize the knowledge of the citation distributions to demonstrate the extreme improbability that the citation records of selected individuals and institutions have been obtained by a random draw on the resulting distribution.
KeywordsNetworks, Complex Systems
TypeJournal paper [With referee]
JournalPhys. Rev. E
Year2003    Vol. 68    pp. 026113
Electronic version(s)[pdf]
BibTeX data [bibtex]
IMM Group(s)Intelligent Signal Processing

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