The Structure and Function of Multilayer Networks: Progress and Prospects

The progress of multilayer networks is summarized in this article. First, the concepts of various types of multi-layer networks are introduced and their mathematical models are described. Then, according to the topological structure properties, the existing research is reviewed from four parts: basic statistical properties, node importance, community structure, robustness, and dynamic behavior. At last, the future research directions of multi-layer networks are prospected.