The "Golden-Gopher", a mid-infrared, 2-dimensional imaging instrument was completed in 1989. The focal plane uses a 20X64 element As:Si array manufactured by Aerojet Electronic Systems Division with a plate scale of 0.83 arcsec/pixel. The Golden- Gopher currently achieves SNR = 1 at a flux density of 3 mJy/pixel in 30 minutes of on-source integration at 8.5 micrometer with a 1 micrometer bandwidth. The optical design includes a spectroscopic option at R=100 by rotating a plane mirror which has a grating back-to-back. Problems with the rotation bearing mechanism have prevented observations in the spectroscopic mode. In the coming year the Golden-Gopher will be modified to enable routine spectroscopic observations, e.g. long slit spectra of the silicate feature of galactic nuclei and the 8.7 and 11.3 micrometer "PAH" bands as well as the ?Ar III!, ?S IV) and ?Ne II! lines. Imaging spectroscopic observations are to be made of a wide range of galaxies, including systems from the IRAS bright galaxy sample. These data will give information on the morphology of the nuclear region and the physical extent of the emitting dust and ionized gas. Such measurements will allow new limits to be placed on the proportion of flux due to unresolved active nuclei as opposed to regions of star formation.
