CHARGE TRANSFER BETWEEN OXYGEN ATOMS AND O AND H IONS*,

The cross sections for charge transfer between O-atoms and O and H ions were determined within the energy range 40 to 10,000 ev in aed beam experiment. These processes are of unusual interest because of their influence on the motion and composition of the earths high atmosphere. It is observed that the variation of the cross section Q with energy E for each of these processes may be well represented by an expression of the form Q to the 12 power a - b log E which is characteristic of sym metric resonance charge transfer. With the help of these expressions the experimental data are extrapolated to obtain estimates of the cross sections at energies appropriate to those in the upper atmosphere. The O-atoms used in these measurements were obtained from an electrodeless rf discharge, while the ions were extracted from an electron-bombardment ion source. An estimate of the influence of excited states on the measurements is given. Author