Estimated valence-level Lamb shifts for group 1 and group 11 metal atoms

The leading Lamb-shift terms are evaluated for the valence electrons of neutral alkali-metal and coinage metal atoms (groups 1 and 11, respectively). The vacuum polarization (VP) contribution is treated using the Uehling potential and the self-energy (SE) contribution using either a density-based ${\alpha }^3$ expression or the $E_{\mathrm{SE}}{/E}_{\mathrm{VP}}$ ratios by Johnson and Soff [At. Data Nucl. Data Tables 33, 405 (1985)]. Both Dirac-Fock and model-potential wave functions are tested. The result for the valence $\mathrm{ns}$ electron is a destabilization, rising at moderate $Z$ values (30–80) as $Z^2$ and more steeply at high $Z.\mathrm{}$ The $\left(n-1\right)d$ electrons suffer an indirect stabilization. The effects are opposite those of kinetic Dirac relativity and about 1–2% of them. They are roughly half of the valence Breit interaction and rise to about 0.5% of the ionization potential for $Z=111\mathrm{}–119.$