The Maki-Thompson Rumor Model on Infinite Cayley Trees

Abstract

In this paper we study the Maki-Thompson rumor model on infinite Cayley trees. The basic version of the model is defined by assuming that a population represented by a graph is subdivided into three classes of individuals: ignorants, spreaders and stiflers. A spreader tells the rumor to any of its (nearest) ignorant neighbors at rate one. At the same rate, a spreader becomes a stifler after a contact with other (nearest neighbor) spreaders, or stiflers. In this work we study this model on infinite Cayley trees, which is formulated as a continuous-times Markov chain, and we extend our analysis to the generalization in which each spreader ceases to propagate the rumor right after being involved in a given number of stifling experiences. We study sufficient conditions under which the rumor either becomes extinct or survives with positive probability.