We use the k-core decomposition to visualize large scale complex networks intwo dimensions. This decomposition, based on a recursive pruning of the leastconnected vertices, allows to disentangle the hierarchical structure ofnetworks by progressively focusing on their central cores. By using thisstrategy we develop a general visualization algorithm that can be used tocompare the structural properties of various networks and highlight theirhierarchical structure. The low computational complexity of the algorithm,O(n+e), where 'n' is the size of the network, and 'e' is the number of edges,makes it suitable for the visualization of very large sparse networks. We applythe proposed visualization tool to several real and synthetic graphs, showingits utility in finding specific structural fingerprints of computer generatedand real world networks.
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