Softened isothermal lensing potential ($\psi (r)={\theta }_E\sqrt{r^2+{\theta }_c^2}$)

This circular lensing potential has reduced deflection $\alpha (r)={\theta }_{E}r/\sqrt{r^2+{\theta }_c^2}$, mean lensing convergence $\bar{\kappa }={\theta }_E/\sqrt{r^2+{\theta }_c^2}$ and local convergence $\kappa ={\theta }_E({\theta }_c^2+r^2/2)/(r^2+{\theta }_c^2{)}^{3/2}$. Its central convergence is finite for ${\theta }_c>0$. As the core shrinks to zero, the deflection tends to that of a singular isothermal sphere lens. This softening of the projected lensing potential must not be confused with replacing a three-dimensional density by a different cored profile.

For $0<{\theta }_c<{\theta }_E$, the signed circular lens mapping $\beta =\theta [1-{\theta }_E/\sqrt{{\theta }^2+{\theta }_c^2}]$ has radial stationary points at ${\theta }_r^2=({\theta }_E{\theta }_c^2{)}^{2/3}-{\theta }_c^2$. Substituting them gives the displayed caustic radius. An offset point-like astronomical source has three images when $0<|\beta |<{\beta }_c$, a merging pair plus a separate outer image on the fold, and one image outside. At alignment, the two off-centre images form a ring while a central image remains. For ${\theta }_c\ge {\theta }_E$ the mapping is monotone and there is no finite multiple-image region. The zero-core singular limit loses the central image and has a different image-count exception.