Molecular shock waves in the BN-KL region of Orion

The H2, CO, and OH infrared emission-line intensities in the BN-KL region of Orion are modeled by shock waves traveling at v/sub S/roughly-equal36 km s-1 with respect to ambient gas of density n/sub O/roughly-equal2 x 105 cm-3, ionization fraction x/sub i/0<3 x 10-7, CO abundance of approximately 3 x 10-4, and transverse magnetic field B/sub 0perpendicular/0.45 milligauss. The inferred preshock magnetic energy density may help support the cloud. The extinction to the 2 μm H2 emission is approximately 2--2.5 mag. The high-velocity wings of the H2 emission lines are produced by slow nondissociative shocks incident upon high-speed ambient gas or behind fast dissociative shocks. A global model is described in which the shock waves are driven by strong winds emanating from KL. The mass-loss rate has been > or approx. =3 x 10-3 M/sub sun/ yr-1 for a time of approximately 103 years. The total wind energy released from the star is E> or approx. =5 x 1047 ergs. The total ejected momentum is about 1041 g cm s-1, sufficient to disrupt the dense cloud surrounding BN-KL