Adaptive Optics Images at 3.5 and 4.8 microns of the Core Arcsec of NGC1068, More Evidence for a Dusty/Molecular Torus

Abstract

This paper presents unique adaptive optics images at 3.5 and 4.8 microns of the central arcsec in the AGN of NGC1068. They enlight the presence of hot to warm dust close to the central engine of the AGN. At a radius around 40 pc, the dust is clearly contained within a disc-like structure perpendicular to the ionizing cone axis. These observations support AGN dusty/molecular torus modeling.