Cross-sections for spin-change scattering are calculated for collisions of positive carbon ions C+ with atomic hydrogen H and of neutral oxygen atoms 0 with H. An elastic-scattering model is used. The associated cooling efficiencies in the interstellar medium due to fine-structure transitions of C+ and 0 are comparable at temperatures above 250 K, hut C+-H cooling dominates at low temperatures.
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Wofsy et al. (1971) studied this question.