First eigenvalue and first eigenvectors of a nonsingular unicyclic mixed graph

Abstract: Let be a mixed graph and let be the Laplacian matrix of the graph . The first eigenvalue and the first eigenvectors of are respectively referred to the least nonzero eigenvalue and the corresponding eigenvectors of . In this paper we focus on the properties of the first eigenvalue and the first eigenvectors of a nonsingular unicyclic mixed graph (abbreviated to a NUM graph). We introduce the notion of characteristic set associated with the first eigenvectors, and then obtain some results on the sign structure of the first eigenvectors. By these results we determine the unique graph which minimizes the first eigenvalue over all NUM graphs of fixed order and fixed girth, and the unique graph which minimizes the first eigenvalue over all NUM graphs of fixed order. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]