Equality in Fill's spectral gap problem

Vishesh Jain, Clayton Mizgerd

For regular adjacent-transposition chains on S_n with n≥3, the second-largest eigenvalue has algebraic multiplicity M equal to the number N of neutral labels, except when N=n−2 or n, when M=n−1.

Sources for this record

What was already known

Greaves and Zhu proved the minimum spectral-gap value. Jain and Mizgerd supplied their own proof of the equality characterization; Fill’s separate multiplicity formula remained open.

AI involvement AI-centered

After receiving Jain and Mizgerd’s human proof of the equality characterization, ChatGPT 5.4 Pro produced the multiplicity proof in one shot. They verified and rewrote that part.

ChatGPT 5.4 Pro supplied the complete proof of the multiplicity formula after the human proof of the equality characterization was provided as input.

Importance Notable

Settles Fill’s multiplicity conjecture in the equality cases.

Limitations

The human proof of the equality characterization is a required input and is credited separately. Jain and Mizgerd report checking the model-produced multiplicity proof; no machine formalization or independent audit is documented.

Technical verification Formal (human)

Jain and Mizgerd expressly state they verified the one-shot model proof of Theorem 1.8(2) for correctness before rewriting it.

Formal checking

human correctness verification of the model-produced proof; source-reported.

Checker
Vishesh Jain and Clayton Mizgerd
Scope
Theorem 1.8(2), Fill’s multiplicity formula for the second-largest eigenvalue
Basis
Reported by the linked checker
Evidence source

Checking a formal statement does not establish that it matches the original problem.

Human understanding Full

The human authors rewrote the proof for clarity and Section 6 explains the upper and lower multiplicity bounds and their dependence on neutral labels.

Correction and publication history