Temperature, kinetic energy, and rotational temperature dependences for the reactions of Ar⁺ (²P _{sol3 2} with O₂ and CO

Rate constants for the charge transfer reactions of Ar⁺ (²P _{3 2}) with O₂ and CO have been measured as a function of average center-of-mass kinetic energy 〈KE_cm〉 at three temperatures: 93, 300 and 543 K. The rate constants for both reactions were found to be slow at room temperature and to decrease with increasing kinetic energy or temperature in good agreement with previous data. No temperature dependence of the rate constants was found at any given 〈KE_cm for both reactions, indicating that neither O₂ nor CO rotational excitation has much effect on the overall reactivity. The data also indicate that O₂ vibrational excitation does not increase the rate constant to the collisional value.