Is the Cepheus E Outflow Driven by a Class 0 Protostar?

New early release observations of the Cepheus E outflow and its embeddedsource, obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope, are presented. We show thedriving source is detected in all 4 IRAC bands, which suggests that traditionalClass 0 classification, although essentially correct, needs to accommodate thenew high sensitivity infrared arrays and their ability to detected deeplyembedded sources. The IRAC, MIPS 24 and 70 microns new photometric points areconsistent with a spectral energy distribution dominated by a cold, denseenvelope surrounding the protostar. The Cep E outflow, unlike its more famouscousin the HH 46/47 outflow, displays a very similar morphology in the near andmid-infrared wavelengths, and is detected at 24 microns. The interface betweenthe dense molecular gas (where Cep E lies) and less dense interstellar medium,is well traced by the emission at 8 and 24 microns, and is one of the mostexotic features of the new IRAC and MIPS images. IRS observations of the Northlobe of the flow confirm that most of the emission is due to the excitation ofpure H2 rotational transitions arising from a relatively cold (Tex~700 K) anddense (N{H}~9.6E20 cm-2 molecular gas.Comment: 14 pages (pre-print format), including 6 figures. Published in ApJ Special Spitzer Issue (2004