Consensus Over Numerosity-Constrained Random Networks

We analyze the discrete-time consensus problem for a group of agents that communicate through a stochastic directed network with fixed out-degree. This network construction models the perceptual phenomenon of numerosity observed in animal groups exhibiting collective behavior. We find necessary and sufficient conditions for mean square consentability of the averaging protocol and we derive a closed form expression for the asymptotic convergence factor. Analytical results are illustrated through simulations.