Rate constants for the reactions of metastable NO⁺ (a ³Σ⁺) ions with SO₂, CO₂, CH₄, N₂, Ar, H₂, D₂, and O ₂ at relative kinetic energies 0.04-2.5 eV

Rate constants for the reactions of NO⁺(a³Σ ⁺) ions with SO₂, CO₂, CH₄, Ar, N₂, H₂, D₂, and O₂ have been measured for relative kinetic enegeies 0.04-2.5 eV in a flow-drift tube. Most of these reactions are fast and show little kinetic energy dependence. The reaction with Ar is slightly endothermic and its rate constant increases substantially with increasing energy. For the reactions with SO₂, CO₂, CH₄, and Ar, the reactive channel, largely charge transfer, predominates over quenching. For N₂, the reactive and quenching channels are approximately equal. Lastly, for H₂, D ₂, and O₂, quenching predominates, except at higher energies for O₂, where the two channels are about equal.