tengslanet

In network science, tengslanet is a term used to describe a model of a system in which entities (nodes) are connected by relationships (edges). The term, cognate to "link network," emphasizes the topology of connections and the flow or strength of ties rather than the inherent properties of the nodes.

A tengslanet may be directed or undirected, weighted or unweighted, and may include signed edges to reflect cooperative or antagonistic relations. Networks can be static or temporal, with edges appearing, disappearing, or changing weight over time.

Construction involves defining the set of entities, determining which pairs share a relationship, and assigning edge attributes. Data sources include surveys, interaction logs, transactions, or observed interactions.

The analytical toolkit includes graph-theoretic metrics such as degree, centrality measures (betweenness, closeness, eigenvector), clustering coefficient, and shortest-path lengths; as well as methods for community detection and diffusion or influence modeling.

Applications span sociology and anthropology for studying social ties; information networks such as citation or hyperlink graphs; biological networks like metabolic or protein interaction networks; infrastructure and transportation; and supply chains.

Limitations and challenges include data quality and privacy concerns; incomplete sampling and bias; the dynamic nature of many networks requiring time-resolved models; computational complexity for large networks; and careful interpretation of edge significance.

See also: network science; graph theory; social network analysis; complex networks; data visualization.