  This paper presents long slit spectral maps of the bi-cone shaped extended
narrow line region (ENLR) in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 2992. We investigate the
physical properties of the ENLR via emission line diagnostics, and compare the
observations to shock and photoionization models for the excitation mechanism
of the gas. The line ratios vary as a function of position in the ENLR, and the
loci of the observed points on line ratio diagrams are shown to be most
consistent with shock+precursor model grids. We consider the energetics of a
nuclear ionizing source for the ENLR, and perform the q-test in which the rate
of ionizing photons from the nucleus is inferred from measurements of the
density and ionization parameter. The q-test is shown to be invalid in the case
of NGC 2992 because of the limitations of the [S II]6717/6731 density
diagnostic. The excitation of the gas is shown to be broadly consistent with
the kinematics, with higher [N II]6583/H-alpha present in the more dynamically
active region. We also show that the pressure associated with the X-ray
emitting plasma may provide a large fraction of the pressure required to power
the ENLR via shocks.
