Quantum mechanical calculations of the electron impact broadening of isolated ion lines

Quantum mechanical calculations have been carried out for the broadening by electron impact of the lines Mg + 3p-3s at 2802 AA and Ca + 4p-3d at 8542 AA. The line broadening function is averaged over the resonances in the elastic scattering of the electrons by both the initial and final states of the ion. The results agree well with recent semiclassical calculations for the width but badly with those for the shift. This is due to the omission from the electron scattering calculations of states which contribute to the polarization of either the upper or lower levels of the line. Comparison with experiment is inclusive in view of the uncertainty in the experimental determination of density and the small number of experimental points.