Chemiluminescence measurements of the N+2, N++H2O charge transfer systems at suprathermal energies: Direct probe of the dynamics of large cross section charge transfer processes

The chemiluminescence from suprathermal N+2–H2O and N+–H2O collisions is studied using a new experiment. Intense H2O+Ã 2A1–X̃ 2B1 emission is observed from the N+2 +H2O charge transfer whereas no emissions are detected from the N+–H2O system. OH A 2Σ+–X 2Π emission originating from the N+2+H2O atom pickup channel is also observed.