| Abstract | A search for nonstellar emission at 10 microns from elliptical galaxies with compact radio sources was begun in May 1980 using the NASA 3-m IRTF on Mauna Kea. Of the six objects in this initial survey, NGC 3894, NGC 4486, NGC 4552, and Mrk 501 were detected at levels significantly higher than expected from normal starlight. Upper limits were set for NGC 4278 and A 1718 + 49A. It is likely that the 10-micron emission from NGC 3894 and NGC 4552 arises from thermally reradiating dust, although synchrotron radiation from a source self-absorbed in the far-infrared cannot be excluded on the basis of the current data. While the collection of objects in this preliminary search does not constitute a statistically meaningful sample, the high detection ratio is surprising and encouraging for future study. |
