Unicyclic signed graphs with maximal energy

Abstract

Let $x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n$ be the eigenvalues of a signed graph $\Gamma$ of order $n$. The energy of $\Gamma$ is defined as $E(\Gamma)=\sum^{n}_{j=1}|x_j|.$ Let $\mathcal{P}_n^4$ be obtained by connecting a vertex of the negative circle $(C_4,{\overline{\sigma}})$ with a terminal vertex of the path $P_{n-4}$. In this paper, we show that for $n=4,6$ and $n \geq 8,$ $\mathcal{P}_n^4$ has the maximal energy among all connected unicyclic $n$-vertex signed graphs, except the cycles $C_5^+, C_7^+.$