Comment on Mean-field solution of structural balance dynamics in nonzero temperature


Abstract in English

In recent numerical and analytical studies, Rabbani {it et al.} [Phys. Rev. E {bf 99}, 062302 (2019)] observed the first-order phase transition in social triads dynamics on complete graph with $N=50$ nodes. With Metropolis algorithm they found critical temperature on such graph equal to 26.2. In this comment we extend their main observation in more compact and natural manner. In contrast to the commented paper we estimate critical temperature $T^c$ for complete graph not only with $N=50$ nodes but for any size of the system. We have derived formula for critical temperature $T^c=(N-2)/a^c$, where $N$ is the number of graph nodes and $a^capprox 1.71649$ comes from combination of heat-bath and mean-field approximation. Our computer simulation based on heat-bath algorithm confirm our analytical results and recover critical temperature $T^c$ obtained earlier also for $N=50$ and for systems with other sizes. Additionally, we have identified---not observed in commented paper---phase of the system, where the mean value of links is zero but the system energy is minimal since the network contains only balanced triangles with all positive links or with two negative links. Such a phase corresponds to dividing the set of agents into two coexisting hostile groups and it exists only in low temperatures.

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