Conformality Thresholds in Neutron Stars

The dense-matter equation of state (EOS) under neutron-star conditions is investigated. We focus on the qualitative behavior of the speed of sound and its average. We characterize and compare the theoretical criteria for identifying nearly conformal matter. We find that the consistency of these criteria in determining the onset of conformal matter is dictated by the combined state-of-the-art theoretical and astrophysical constraints.