Mean Field Analysis of Personalized PageRank with Implications for Local Graph Clustering

Abstract: We analyse a mean-field model of Personalized PageRank on the Erdos-Renyi random graph containing a denser planted Erdos-Renyi subgraph. We investigate the regimes where the values of Personalized PageRank concentrate around the mean-field value. We also study the optimization of the damping factor, the only parameter in Personalized PageRank. Our theoretical results help to understand the applicability of Personalized PageRank and its limitations for local graph clustering.