Program: GS-2008A-Q-58

Little is known about radio-loud AGN in the mid-IR. Only 3 have published, high-resolution images or spectra, for the remainder, the best data are from Spitzer (3" resolution at 10um). In Cen A, Cyg A and M87, we found unresolved nuclei, jets, biconical structures and other extended emission. The physical processes that produce their mid-IR emission range from synchrotron radiation to thermal emission from dust, plus emission and absorption lines. We are conducting a mid-IR survey of the IR-brightest, z<0.1 radio galaxies with Gemini. This sample is revolutionizing our knowledge of radio galaxies in the mid-IR, enabling us to for the first time discuss their properties as a class. Five objects have been successfully observed, with observations of a sixth scheduled. We find unresolved nuclei in all, and persuasive, but not conclusive evidence of extended structure in two. Here we propose to conduct deeper observations of one of these objects, Pic A, to confirm and map extended mid-IR structures and compare to HST and Chandra data. Observations of four more northern sources (3C84, 3C321, 3C371 and 3C382) are requested in an accompanying proposal.