Critical point (network science)

In network science, a critical point is a value of average degree, which separates random networks that have a giant component from those that do not (i.e. it separates a network in a subcritical regime from one in a supercritical regime). Considering a random network with an average degree ${\displaystyle \langle k\rangle }$ the critical point is

${\displaystyle \langle k\rangle =1}$

where the average degree is defined by the fraction of the number of edges (${\displaystyle e}$) and nodes (${\displaystyle N}$) in the network, that is ${\displaystyle \langle k\rangle ={\frac {2e}{N}}}$.