Circular-orbit energy gradient ($d\epsilon =\mathbf{\Omega }\cdot d\mathbf{h}$)

In a spherically symmetric gravitational potential $\Phi (r)$, a circular orbit has $r{\Omega }^2={\Phi }^{\prime }(r)$, specific orbital energy $\epsilon =\Phi +r^2{\Omega }^2/2$ and specific angular momentum $\mathbf{h}=r^2\Omega \mathbf{n}$, with $|\mathbf{n}|=1$. Differentiating gives ${\epsilon }^{\prime }=2r{\Omega }^2+r^2\Omega {\Omega }^{\prime }=\Omega (r^2\Omega {)}^{\prime }$. Changes in orbital orientation have $\mathbf{n}\cdot d\mathbf{n}=0$, so $\mathbf{\Omega }\cdot d\mathbf{h}=\Omega d(r^2\Omega )=d\epsilon$. For a particle of variable mass $M$ and total angular momentum $\mathbf{H}=M\mathbf{h}$, this implies $d(M\epsilon )=(\epsilon -\Omega h)dM+\mathbf{\Omega }\cdot d\mathbf{H}$. Moreover $d(\epsilon -\Omega h)/dr=-h{\Omega }^{\prime }$, which is positive when the orbital angular velocity decreases outward.