Trees and unicyclic graphs extremal with respect to sum connectivity index (Q2923231)

The sum connectivity index of a graph \(G=(V,E)\) is \(\sum_{\{u,v\}\in E}(d(u)+d(v))^{\alpha}\) where \(d(u)\) is the degree of the vertex \( u\) and \(\alpha\geq 1\) is a real number. The graph transformations that decrease and/or increase the sum connectivity index are investigated. As a consequence it is proved that for trees on \(n\) vertices for \(n\geq 5\) the minimal sum connectivity index has the path and the maximal sum connectivity index has the star. Analogous results for unicyclic graphs (a cycle with added pendent edges is a unicyclic graph) are derived.