  The central region of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068 is imaged in the mid
infrared (MIR) using the Mid-Infrared Test Observation System on the 8.2 m
Subaru Telescope. The oversampling pixel scale associated with shift-and-add
method shows 0.1 arcsec resolution images with a high dynamic range after
deconvolution. Along with an extended structure at a position angle (P.A.) of
-10 degrees with higher surface brightness, another structure extends wider
with lower surface brightness at a P.A. of 20 degrees. The central peak
elongates north-south with FWHM of 0.3 x 0.2 arcsec. Spectral energy
distribution (SED) of the central peak is fitted to have the silicate
absorption feature of tau_9.7um = 0.9 +/- 0.3. This is half of the absorption
expected from the near-infrared (NIR) feature of carbonaceous dust. This
suggests a temperature gradient of the absorbing dust along the line of sight.
Another possibility, which is not distinguishable here, is the size
distribution of dust different from our Galaxy. Intrinsic luminosity of
emission from the central peak is 3 x 10^37 W. The SED shows a hint of the poly
aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission features. Although a high spatial
resolution MIR spectrum is required, it suggests that the PAH carriers near the
active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are sheltered from the high-energy emission from
the AGNs and the AGNs have nuclear starbursts. For the NIR disklike structures,
no counterparts are detected in the MIR. The nature of the structures remains
unclear.
