Deep 10 Micron Imaging of M87

Abstract

We analyze a 10.8 ?m image of M87, obtained with the Gemini 8 m telescope + OSCIR. The image has better than 05 resolution and represents 7 hr of observing time, making it the deepest high-resolution mid-IR image ever. The core is marginally resolved, and we also detect five optically bright knots in the jet. The spectral energy distributions of these features are entirely consistent with synchrotron radiation; we find little evidence of thermal emission from a dusty torus. Four faint jet regions are below the noise level of these observations. We also find evidence for diffuse galactic emission.