INDUCED STAR FORMATION AROUND THE RUNAWAY O STAR AE AUR

We propose to observe with EPIC the environment of the runaway O star AE Aur.This high proper motion star is presently crossing a dense region of the interstellar medium, giving rise to the emission nebula IC 405, and this is an ideallaboratory for the study of induced star formation, under the influence of amassive star alone. Newly formed protostellar objects, although embedded intheir parental cloud, should be clearly detected in the proposed Xrayobservation, on the basis of evidence from other starforming regions. Theproposed 50ks observation would therefore provide a clear test of the effectiveness of induced starformation processes around massive stars, much clearerthan possible in the more complex environment of other starforming regions. truncated!, Please see actual data for full text [truncated!, Please see actual data for full text]