Mid - Infrared T - Recs Spectroscopy of Local Lirgs

We present T-ReCS high spatial resolution N-band (8 − 13 µm) spectroscopy of the central regions (a few kpc) of 3 local LIRGs. The nuclear spectra show deep 9.7 µm silicate absorption feature and the high ionization [S iv]10.5 µm, emission line, consistent with their optical classification as AGN. The two LIRGs with unresolved mid-IR emission do not show PAH emission at 11.3 µm in their nuclear spectra. The spatially resolved mid-IR spectroscopy of NGC 5135 allows us to separate out the spectra of the Seyfert nucleus, an H ii region, and the diffuse region between them on scales of less than 2.5 ′′ ∼ 600 pc. The diffuse region spectrum is characterized by strong PAH emission with almost no continuum, whereas the H ii region shows PAH emission with a smaller equivalent width as well as [Ne ii]12.8 µm line.