Charge transfer coefficients for the O+(2D)+N2 and O+(2D)+O2 excited ion reactions at thermal energy

Abstract
The reactions of metastable O+ ions with N2 and O2 have been investigated using drift tube‐mass spectrometer techniques. It is found that ordinary charge transfer is the dominant reaction branch in both cases, occurring with large rate coefficients, k(N2) = (8±2)×10−10 cm3/sec and k(O2) = (7±2)×10−10 cm3/sec, at an effective ion temperature of ∼550 K. The reaction He++O2 is used as a source of metastable O+ ions, and evidence is presented that the O+ ions so produced are in the 2D state rather than the 2P state. The results are compared with previous measurements and inferences drawn from ionospheric observations.