On the algebraic connectivity of token graphs

Abstract: We study the algebraic connectivity (or second Laplacian eigenvalue) of token graphs, also called symmetric powers of graphs. The $k$-token graph $F_k(G)$ of a graph $G$ is the graph whose vertices are the $k$-subsets of vertices from $G$, two of which being adjacent whenever their symmetric difference is a pair of adjacent vertices in $G$. Recently, it was conjectured that the algebraic connectivity of $F_k(G)$ equals the algebraic connectivity of $G$. In this paper, we prove the conjecture for new infinite families of graphs, such as trees and graphs with maximum degree large enough.