  We have measured the reaction of O + H3+ forming OH+ and H2O+. This is one of
the key gas-phase astrochemical processes initiating the formation of water
molecules in dense molecular clouds. For this work, we have used a novel merged
fast-beams apparatus which overlaps a beam of H3+ onto a beam of ground-term
neutral O. Here, we present cross section data for forming OH+ and H2O+ at
relative energies from \approx 3.5 meV to \approx 15.5 and 0.13 eV,
respectively. Measurements were performed for statistically populated O(3PJ) in
the ground term reacting with hot H3+ (with an internal temperature of \approx
2500-3000 K). From these data, we have derived rate coefficients for
translational temperatures from \approx 25 K to \approx 10^5 and 10^3 K,
respectively. Using state-of-the-art theoretical methods as a guide, we have
converted these results to a thermal rate coefficient for forming either OH+ or
H2O+, thereby accounting for the temperature dependence of the O fine-structure
levels. Our results are in good agreement with two independent flowing
afterglow measurements at a temperature of \approx 300 K, and with a
corresponding level of H3+ internal excitation. This good agreement strongly
suggests that the internal excitation of the H3+ does not play a significant
role in this reaction. The Langevin rate coefficient is in reasonable agreement
with the experimental results at 10 K but a factor of \approx 2 larger at 300
K. The two published classical trajectory studies using quantum mechanical
potential energy surfaces lie a factor of \approx 1.5 above our experimental
results over this 10-300 K range.
