Consideration has been given to the auroral ionospheric O+ density dilemma as discussed by Donahue et al. (1970). If the temperature dependences of the reactions O++O2→O2++O and O++N2→NO++N are of the type found by Stubbe (1969) and Johnsen and Biondi (1973), the line of explanation invoking intense electric fields and high ion temperature faces serious trouble. This would make the O+ density problem all the more pathological. However, a simple explanation was possible in terms of O2++ and N2++ ion chemistry. The beauty of this explanation lay in the fact that neither high temperatures nor electric fields need be invoked. Physicochemical problems connected with the new explanation are discussed, and it is suggested that the properties of the doubly charged ions deserve a closer study in the laboratory.