  We have studied the emission of CO ro-vibrational lines in the disc around
the Herbig Be star HD100546 with the final goal of using these lines as a
diagnostic to understand inner disc structure in the context of planet
formation. High-resolution IR spectra of CO ro-vibrational emission at eight
different position angles were taken with CRIRES at the VLT. From these spectra
flux tables, CO ro-vibrational line profiles, and population diagrams were
produced. We have investigated variations in the line profile shapes and line
strengths as a function of slit position angle. We used the thermochemical disc
modelling code ProDiMo based on the chemistry, radiation field, and temperature
structure of a previously published model for HD100546. Comparing observations
and the model, we investigated the possibility of disc asymmetries, the
excitation mechanism (UV fluorescence), the geometry, and physical conditions
of the inner disc. The observed CO ro-vibrational lines are largely emitted
from the inner rim of the outer disc at 10-13 AU. The line shapes are similar
for all v levels and line fluxes from all vibrational levels vary only within
one order of magnitude. All line profile asymmetries and variations can be
explained with a symmetric disc model to which a slit correction and pointing
offset is applied. Because the angular size of the CO emitting region (10-13
AU) and the slit width are comparable the line profiles are very sensitive to
the placing of the slit. The model reproduces the line shapes and the fluxes of
the v=1-0 lines as well as the spatial extent of the CO ro-vibrational
emission. It does not reproduce the observed band ratios of 0.5-0.2 with higher
vibrational bands. We find that lower gas volume densities at the surface of
the inner rim of the outer disc can make the fluorescence pumping more effcient
and reproduce the observed band ratios.
