We present high spatial resolution mid-IR images of the nuclear region of NGC 5128 ( Centaurus A ) .
Images were obtained at 8.8 \micron , N-band ( 10.4 \micron ) , and 18.3 \micron using the mid-IR imager/spectrometer T-ReCS on Gemini South .
These images show a bright unresolved core surrounded by low-level extended emission .
We place an upper limit to the size of the unresolved nucleus of 3.2 pc ( 0 \farcs 19 ) at 8.8 \micron and 3.5 pc ( 0 \farcs 21 ) at 18.3 \micron at the level of the FWHM .
The most likely source of nuclear mid-IR emission is from a dusty torus and possibly dusty narrow line region with some contribution from synchrotron emission associated with the jet as well as relatively minor starburst activity .
Clumpy tori models are presented which predict the mid-IR size of this torus to be no larger than 0 \farcs 05 ( 0.85pc ) .
Surrounding the nucleus is extensive low-level mid-IR emission .
Previously observed by ISO and Spitzer , this paper presents to date the highest spatial resolution mid-IR images of this extended near nuclear structure .
Much of the emission is coincident with Pa- \alpha sources seen by HST implying emission from star forming areas , however evidence for jet induced star formation , synchrotron emission from the jet , a nuclear bar/ring , and an extended dusty narrow emission line region is also discussed .