  Collisional and thermal ionization of sodium nS and nD Rydberg atoms with
n=8-20 has been studied. The experiments were performed using a two-step pulsed
laser excitation in an effusive atomic beam at atom density of about 2 10^{10}
cm^{-3}. Molecular and atomic ions from associative, Penning, and thermal
ionization processes were detected. It has been found that the atomic ions were
created mainly due to photoionization of Rydberg atoms by photons of blackbody
radiation at the ambient temperature of 300K. Blackbody ionization rates and
effective lifetimes of Rydberg states of interest were determined. The
molecular ions were found to be from associative ionization in Na(nL)+Na(3S)
collisions. Rate constants of associative ionization have been measured using
an original method based on relative measurements of Na_{2}^{+} and Na^{+} ion
signals.
