The initial results from a program to map the thermal far-infrared emission from dusty elliptical galaxies are presented. Using the Yerkes 60-Channel Far-Infrared Camera on the Kuiper Airborne Observatory we have imaged three elliptical galaxies at 160$\mu$ with a resolution of 44$^{\prime\prime}$ (NGC 5666, NGC 6524, and the interacting system NGC 7463/4/5) and one at 100$\mu$ with a resolution of 25$^{\prime\prime}$ (NGC 6524). Observations of NGC 1275 (Per A) are scheduled for December 1993 and may also be discussed.
The E/S0 system NGC 6524 is dominated by a central point source at both 100 and 160$\mu$ with a dust temperature of 29$^\circ$K, in agreement with IRAS data and recent submillimeter observations of the central regions from the James Clark Maxwell Telescope on Mauna Kea. In addition, NGC 6524 shows low-level extended dust emission at 160$\mu$ which is not detected at 100$\mu$. The temperature of this dust is apparently less than 20$^\circ$K. Preliminary results from JCMT submillimeter observations of other dusty ellipticals may also be presented.
This research was supported by NASA grant NGR 14-001-227 to the University of Chicago.