Effect of higher-order interactions on tipping cascades on complex networks

Abstract Tipping points are critical thresholds of parameters where tiny perturbations can lead to abrupt and large qualitative changes in the systems. Many real-world systems that exhibit tipping behaviour can be represented as networks of interacting multistable units, such as vegetation patches or infrastructure networks, undergoing both pairwise and higher-order interactions. In this article, we explore how higher-order interactions (HOIs) shape the dynamics of tipping cascades in a conceptual system with tipping points. Numerical simulations on random, scale-free and small-world networks reveal that HOIs can induce cascades even at coupling strengths where only pairwise interactions fail to do so. We also investigate the interplay of the pairwise and higher-order coupling strengths in random networks and illustrate the route to cascades through bifurcation diagrams. Furthermore, these results have been demonstrated on real-world social networks. In addition to this, we show that repulsive HOIs suppress tipping cascades at coupling strengths where pairwise interactions would cause them, and also explored the routes to cascades with such repulsive interactions. Our results highlight the critical role of HOIs in shaping cascade dynamics, offering insights for anticipating and mitigating critical transitions in ecosystems, climate systems and socio-technical infrastructures.