Monero uses an adaptive block weight based upon the CryptoNote excess size penalty with a median over the last 100 blocks, cryptonote.org/whitepaper.pdf, to provide the capacity for increases and decreases in the number of transactions. In 2019 this adaptive block weight was modified by the introduction of a long term median over the last 100,000 blocks to mitigate against a sharp increase in the block weight, due to possible spam attacks. We will consider the scenario of external economic events causing a sharp decrease in he number of transactions after several years of growth, followed by a recovery and then further growth several months later. We will also consider the possibility of a sharp increase in the number of transactions, due to economic disruptions, during the current COVID-19 pandemic. and in its aftermath. We will propose changes to the Monero adaptive block weight in order to mitigate against a sharp increase in transaction fees and allow for a smooth recovery, and further growth in the block weight after a sharp drop in the number of transactions . The period between the initial drop in the number of transactions to the full recovery with further growth of the block weight would be in the order of months.
Dr. Francisco "ArticMine" Cabañas