Spectral radius of finite and infinite planar graphs and of graphs of bounded genus

It is well known that the spectral radius of a tree whose maximum degree is $D$ cannot exceed $2\sqrt{D-1}$. In this paper we derive similar bounds for arbitrary planar graphs and for graphs of bounded genus. It is proved that a the spectral radius $\rho(G)$ of a planar graph $G$ of maximum vertex degree $D\ge 4$ satisfies $\sqrt{D}\le \rho(G)\le \sqrt{8D-16}+7.75$. This result is best possible up to the additive constant--we construct an (infinite) planar graph of maximum degree $D$, whose spectral radius is $\sqrt{8D-16}$. This generalizes and improves several previous results and solves an open problem proposed by Tom Hayes. Similar bounds are derived for graphs of bounded genus. For every $k$, these bounds can be improved by excluding $K_{2,k}$ as a subgraph. In particular, the upper bound is strengthened for 5-connected graphs. All our results hold for finite as well as for infinite graphs. At the end we enhance the graph decomposition method introduced in the first part of the paper and apply it to tessellations of the hyperbolic plane. We derive bounds on the spectral radius that are close to the true value, and even in the simplest case of regular tessellations of type $\{p,q\}$ we derive an essential improvement over known results, obtaining exact estimates in the first order term and non-trivial estimates for the second order asymptotics

Median eigenvalues of bipartite subcubic graphs

It is proved that the median eigenvalues of every connected bipartite graph $G$ of maximum degree at most three belong to the interval $[-1,1]$ with a single exception of the Heawood graph, whose median eigenvalues are $\pm\sqrt{2}$. Moreover, if $G$ is not isomorphic to the Heawood graph, then a positive fraction of its median eigenvalues lie in the interval $[-1,1]$. This surprising result has been motivated by the problem about HOMO-LUMO separation that arises in mathematical chemistry.Comment: Accepted for publication in Combin. Probab. Compu