Information-communication network deployment into derivative territorial structures

Abstract

An analysis is made of the information-communication network deployment into the center–periphery systems, heterochronous formations and network areas which are derivative territorial structures with respect to the initial network. By using an example of changes in the network position of a number of administrative centers of Asian Russia for 200 years, it is shown that the partitioning of settlements into the information-communication center and the periphery is relatively stable across time. An assessment is made of the transformation of peripheral settlements having regard to the relationship of the status and topological centrality as well as infocommunication–geographical location. The study revealed homochronous, rhythmic- and arrhythmic-heterochronous networks. By analyzing, for different times, the distribution dynamics of elementary postal networks of Asian Russia between the center and the near, middle and far periphery, it was possible to determine a number of characteristic features of the deployment process. It is established that the postal-network areas of the region produce a linear territorial entity. A comparison of the regionalization schemes from different times provided a means of assessing the transformation mechanism of the territorial structure that manifests itself in an extensive, unevenly differently directed deployment of the network with a topological separation between settlements, an increase in their network inequality, and with the consolidation of the linear structure.