Some aspects of the calculation of Balmer lines in the sun and stars

We compare the results of Balmer-line calculations using recent theory and improved computational algorithms with those from the widely-used SYNTHE and BALMER9 roitines. The resulting profiles are mostly indistinguishable. Good fits to the normalized solar Balmer lines Halpha through Hdelta are obtained (apart from the cores)using the recent unified-broadening calculations by Barklem and his coworkes provided that some adjustment for the continuum is performed. We discuss a surprising linearity with temperature of the Balmer line profiles in dwarfs. Table A.1 is only available in electronic form at http://www.edpsciences.org