  We aim to determine the physical and chemical properties of dense cores in
Orion B9. We observed the NH3(1,1) and (2,2), and the N2H+(3-2) lines towards
the submm peak positions. These data are used in conjunction with our LABOCA
870 micron dust continuum data. The gas kinetic temperature in the cores is
between ~9.4-13.9 K. The non-thermal velocity dispersion is subsonic in most of
the cores. The non-thermal linewidth in protostellar cores appears to increase
with increasing bolometric luminosity. The core masses are very likely drawn
from the same parent distribution as the core masses in Orion B North. Starless
cores in the region are likely to be gravitationally bound, and thus
prestellar. Some of the cores have a lower radial velocity than the systemic
velocity of the region, suggesting that they are members of the "low-velocity
part" of Orion B. The observed core-separation distances deviate from the
corresponding random-like model distributions. The distances between the
nearest-neighbours are comparable to the thermal Jeans length. The fractional
abundances of NH3 and N2H+ in the cores are ~1.5-9.8x10^{-8} and
~0.2-5.9x10^{-10}, respectively. The NH3 abundance appears to decrease with
increasing H2 column and number densities. The NH3/N2H+ column density ratio is
larger in starless cores than in cores with embedded protostars. The core
population in Orion B9 is comparable in physical properties to those in nearby
low-mass star-forming regions. It is unclear if the origin of cores could be
explained by turbulent fragmentation. On the other hand, many of the core
properties conform with the picture of dynamic core evolution. The Orion B9
region has probably been influenced by the feedback from the nearby Ori OB 1b
group, and the fragmentation of the parental cloud into cores could be caused
by gravitational instability.
