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In order to study reactions between ions and neutral particles, a series of experiments have been carried out which utilize time resolving mass-spectrometric monitoring of the afterglows in atmospheric gases produced by radio-frequency discharges. The following reactions have been investigated : (i) the charge exchange rates of the O+ ion with oxygen and nitrogen ; (ii) the charge exchange rates of the He+ ion with oxygen and nitrogen. Rate coefficients and cross-sections are presented for some of these reactions, together with suggestions concerning the mechanisms of the reactions.

83cause. I t is concluded th a t the whole ester molecule contributes to the time constant, and therefore th a t it behaves as a rigid structure and does not simply become deformed in the immediate neighbourhood of the dipole group. This is in agreement with evidence from other sources. The results do not suggest any simple relation between chain length and time constant, and a satisfactory theory to relate them has yet to be found. I n t r o d u c t io nThe fundamental importance of the problem of recombination of ions in gases was appreciated almost as soon as the role of ions as carriers of electric charge in gas conduction was recognized. Indeed it was at one time believed th a t the greater part of the light emitted in the Geissler tube discharge had its origin in the energy resulting from ionic recombination.Rutherford and Thomson were the first to show, and verify experiment ally, th at the rate of decay of ion population by recombination was pro portional to the product of the numbers of ions of either sign. Thus, if we * Musgrave R esearch S tudent, Q ueen's U niversity, Belfast.on May 9, 2018 http://rspa.royalsocietypublishing.org/ Downloaded from