Gutman, IvanFurtula, BorisOz, Mert Sinan2026-02-082026-02-0820240020-76081097-461Xhttps://doi.org/10.1002/qua.27346https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12885/5454A novel geometric method is proposed for constructing vertex-degree-based molecular structure descriptors (topological indices). The model is based on an ellipse whose focal points represent the degrees of a pair of adjacent vertices. This approach enables a geometric interpretation of several previously known topological indices, and lead to design of a few new. The area of the ellipse induces a vertex-degree-based topological index of remarkable simplicity, which we call elliptic Sombor index(ESO$$ ESO $$). The main mathematical properties of ESO$$ ESO $$ are established, especially its relations to other, earlier known, indices. Then the applicative potential of ESO$$ ESO $$ is analyzed. The elliptic Sombor index (ESO) is a topological molecular descriptor derived from the geometric properties of an ellipse. It is defined by using the equation of the area of an ellipse. imageeninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessdegree of a vertexelliptic Sombor indexSombor indextopological indexArticle10.1002/qua.273461242WOS:0011401788000012-s2.0-85182241094Q2Q2