The evolution of the Erdős-Rényi (ER) network by adding edges is a basis model for irreversible kinetic aggregation phenomena. Such ER processes can be described by a rate equation for the evolution of the cluster-size distribution with the connection kernel $K_{ij}\sim ij$, where $ij$ is the product of the sizes of two merging clusters. Here we study that when the giant cluster is discouraged to develop by a sublinear kernel $K_{ij}\sim {\left(ij\right)}^{\omega }$ with $0\le \omega <1/2$, the percolation transition (PT) is discontinuous. Such discontinuous PT can occur even when the ER dynamics evolves from proper initial conditions. The obtained evolutionary properties of the simple model sheds light on the origin of the discontinuous PT in other nonequilibrium kinetic systems.

• Received 20 November 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.81.030103