Laplacian renormalization group: an introduction to heterogeneous coarse-graining

The renormalization group (RG) constitutes a fundamental framework in modern theoretical physics. It allows the study of many systems showing states with large-scale correlations and their classification into a relatively small set of universality classes. The RG is the most powerful tool for investigating organizational scales within dynamic systems. However, the application of RG techniques to complex networks has presented significant challenges, primarily due to the intricate interplay of correlations on multiple scales. Existing approaches have relied on hypotheses involving hidden geometries and based on embedding complex networks into hidden metric spaces. Here, we present a practical overview of the recently introduced Laplacian RG (LRG) for heterogeneous networks. First, we present a brief overview that justifies the use of the Laplacian as a natural extension of well-known field theories to analyze spatial disorder. We then draw an analogy to traditional real-space RG procedures, explaining how the LRG generalizes the concept of ‘Kadanoff supernodes’ as block nodes that span multiple scales. These supernodes help mitigate the effects of cross-scale correlations due to small-world properties. Additionally, we rigorously define the LRG procedure in momentum space in the spirit of the Wilson RG. Finally, we show different analyses for the evolution of network properties along the LRG flow following structural changes when the network is properly reduced.