A multi-transition study of carbon monoxide in the Orion A molecular cloud. II - C(O-18)

We present an analysis of density, temperature, and excitation conditions in a one half square degree region around BN/KL in Orion A using new C(O-l8) J = 1 yields 0 and J = 2 yields 1 data. This paper extends a previous study of Orion A, based on a multitransition analysis of (C-13)O, to the optically thinner C(O-18) species that traces better the dense inner regions of giant molecular clouds. From the C(O-18) maps we identify several condensations and are able to derive their size, linewidth, average density, mass, and virial mass.