Cut-offs and finite size effects in scale-free networks

We analyze the degree distributions cut-off in finite size scale-free networks. We show that the cut-off behavior with the number of vertices N is ruled by the topological constraints induced by the connectivity structure of the network. Even in the simple case of uncorrelated networks, we obtain an expression of the structural cut-off that is smaller than the natural cut-off obtained by means of extremal theory arguments. The obtained results are explicitly applied in the case of the configuration model to recover the size scaling of tadpoles and multiple edges.Received: 18 November 2003, Published online: 24 February 2004PACS: 89.75.-k Complex systems - 87.23.Ge Dynamics of social systems - 05.70.Ln Nonequilibrium and irreversible thermodynamics