Spherical density projection ($\Sigma (R)=2{\int }_R^{\infty }\rho (r)r(r^2-R^2{)}^{-1/2}dr$)

A spherical mass density $\rho$ gives projected surface density $\Sigma (R)={\int }_{-\infty }^{\infty }\rho (\sqrt{R^2+z^2})dz$. On the positive half of the line of sight, substitute $r=\sqrt{R^2+z^2}$ to obtain the displayed Abel transform. Spherical symmetry is essential: a general three-dimensional density cannot be reconstructed uniquely from one projection.

The strip density is the mass per unit projected Cartesian coordinate $x$: $S(x)={\int }_{-\infty }^{\infty }\Sigma (\sqrt{x^2+y^2})dy$. It is even in $x$. For $x\ge 0$, changing variables to projected radius gives $S(x)=2{\int }_x^{\infty }\Sigma (R)R/\sqrt{R^2-x^2}dR$. Alternatively integrate the three-dimensional mass density over the plane of coordinates $y,z$ to obtain the displayed expression. Consequently $S^{\prime }(x)=-2\pi x\rho (x)$ for $x>0$.

For an isolated spherical distribution, shell assembly gives gravitational potential energy $W=-{\int }_0^{\infty }GM(r)r^{-1}dM(r)$. Use $S^{\prime }=-2\pi r\rho$ and $M^{\prime }=-2r{S}^{\prime }$ to write $W=2G\int M{S}^{\prime }dr=-2G\int S{M}^{\prime }dr=4G\int rS{S}^{\prime }dr$. A second integration by parts gives the displayed negative quadratic functional. The boundary terms $MS$ and $r{S}^2$ must vanish; finite-mass regular profiles with finite binding energy satisfy the usual sufficient decay conditions.

Put $F(u)=\Sigma (\sqrt{u})$ and $g(v)=\rho (\sqrt{v})$. Then $F(u)={\int }_u^{\infty }g(v)/\sqrt{v-u}dv$. Composing this Abel transform with itself and exchanging convergent integrals gives ${\int }_t^{\infty }F(u)/\sqrt{u-t}du=\pi {\int }_t^{\infty }g(v)dv$, because the inner integral from $t$ to $v$ is $\pi$. Differentiate after writing $u=t+s$ to obtain $g(t)=-{\pi }^{-1}{\int }_t^{\infty }{F}^{\prime }(u)/\sqrt{u-t}du$. Substituting $t=r^2,u=R^2$ yields the displayed reconstruction. Decay and regularity sufficient for the exchanges and derivatives are required.

For $A,b>0$ and $\alpha >1/2$, the projected profile $F(R)=A(R^2+b^2{)}^{-\alpha }$ has the displayed spherical Abel transform inverse. Indeed its composed transform is $A(r^2+b^2{)}^{1/2-\alpha }{I}_{\alpha }$, with $I_{\alpha }={\int }_1^{\infty }{s}^{-\alpha }(s-1{)}^{-1/2}ds=B(1/2,\alpha -1/2)$. Differentiate in $r$, divide by $-2\pi r$, and use the Gamma function recurrence to obtain the coefficient. The same kernel reconstructs tracer number density or isotropic random pressure from their respective projected profiles.

For a spherical, nonstreaming stellar population with isotropic velocity dispersion, each component of the random pressure tensor equals $p=n⟨v_r^2⟩$. The observed second stellar velocity moment satisfies $N(R){\sigma }_{\mathrm{los}}^2(R)=2{\int }_R^{\infty }p(r)r/\sqrt{r^2-R^2}dr$. Composing this Abel transform with itself gives the displayed inverse under sufficient decay and regularity. The Spherical Jeans equation then gives ${\psi }^{\prime }=p^{\prime }/n$, with gravitational acceleration $\nabla \psi$. The Poisson equation for Newtonian gravity recovers total gravitating mass density, not just the tracer density. Without velocity isotropy the same projected moment also contains anisotropic stresses.