Spatio-temporal evolution of the aviation network structure of the world-class airports cluster:Taking the Northeast Corridor of the United States as an example
Airport cluster has become an emerging field of research in air transport geography.Using the social network analysis method,we analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution of the world-class airport cluster's aviation network in the Northeast Corridor of the United States from 1993 to 2018.This paper found that in this region the aviation network has undergone the transformation from the formative period to the mature period.The results are as follows:(1)The"core-edge"structural characteristics tended to be more significant,more flights concentrated in the core airports while the flights between the edge airports and core airports decreased.The core airports grew rapidly,and connectivity among core airports enhanced.Meanwhile the domestic and international transit function of some core hubs was strengthened.(2)The structural characteristic of the hub and spoke was gradually obvious,while the number of hub airports connected by spoke airports reduced.This means that the spoke airports focused the flights to the hub airports in the nearby multi-airport system.(3)The small-world characteristic and node hetero compatibility of the aviation network became obvious,nevertheless,the reduction of hub airports connected by the spoke airports resulted in the decrease of cluster coefficient.The formation of the hub-and-spoke structure weakened the small-world characteristic of the aviation network.Based on the empirical analysis,this paper constructed an aviation network evolution model of airport cluster in small and medium scales,which can provide an empirical basis for the development of aviation network evolution theory,as well as theoretical and empirical reference for the planning and construction of world-class airport clusters in China.
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万方数据
