Tracing the evolution of specific topics is a subject area which belongs tothe general problem of mapping the structure of scientific knowledge. Oftenbibliometric data bases are used to study the history of scientific topicevolution from its appearance to its extinction or merger with other topics. Inthis chapter the authors present an analysis of the academic response to thedisaster that occurred in 1986 in Chornobyl (Chernobyl), Ukraine, considered asone of the most devastating nuclear power plant accidents in history. Using abibliographic database the distributions of Chornobyl-related papers indifferent scientific fields are analysed, as are their growth rates andproperties of co-authorship networks. Elements of descriptive statistics andtools of complex-network theory are used to highlight interdisciplinary as wellas international effects. In particular, tools of complex-network scienceenable information visualization complemented by further quantitative analysis.A further goal of the chapter is to provide a simple pedagogical introductionto the application of complex-network analysis for visual data representationand interdisciplinary communication.
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