Preferential detachment in broadcast signaling networks: Connectivity and cost trade-off

We consider a network of nodes distributed in physical space without physical links communicating through message broadcasting over specified distances. Typically, communication using smaller distances is desirable due to savings in energy or other resources. We introduce a network formation mechanism to enable reducing the distances while retaining connectivity. Nodes, which initially transmit signals at a prespecified maximum distance, subject links to preferential detachment by autonomously decreasing their transmission radii while satisfying conditions of zero communication loss and fixed maximum node- hopping distance for signaling. Applied to networks with various spatial topologies, we find cost reductions as high as 90% over networks that are restricted to have all nodes with equal transmission distance.