Scalarized neutron stars with a highly relativistic core in scalar-tensor gravity

Compact stars in scalar-tensor gravity have been extensively investigated, but relatively few studies have focused on highly relativistic neutron stars (NSs) with an extremely dense core region where the trace of the energy-momentum tensor reverses its sign. In this regime, we identify the origin of the phenomenon where { multiple} scalarized solutions exist for a { fixed} central density, arising from the oscillatory profile of the scalar field inside the star. This origin further indicates that the multi-branch structure emerges for both negative and positive $β$, the quadratic-term coefficient in the effective coupling function between the scalar field and conventional matter in the Einstein frame. By comparing the Damour--Esposito-Farèse and Mendes-Ortiz models of the scalar-tensor gravity, we demonstrate that their distinct scalarization behaviors stem from whether the effective coupling function is bounded. We also compute for scalarized NSs with a highly relativistic dense core in scalar-tensor theories the moment of inertia and tidal deformability that are relevant to pulsar-timing and gravitational-wave experiments.