HIGH-RESOLUTION CONTINUUM AND BR-GAMMA IMAGING OBSERVATIONS OF M82

We report high angular resolution (approximately 0.''6), broad-band im aging at 1.2 mum (J band), 1.6 mum (H band), 2.2 mum (K band), and 3.7 mum (L' band) of the central 110'' x 21'' (1.65 kpc x 0.32 kpc) of th e nearby starburst galaxy M82. We also present spectral imaging with 9 0 km s-1 resolution in the Brgamma (2.17 mum) hydrogen recombination l ine covering the central 16'' x 16'' (240 pc x 240 pc) of this edge-on , disk galaxy. The broadband mosaics reveal two plateaus of emission i ndicative of an inner disk of stars and perhaps a larger bar structure . Color maps reveal an extinction ridge running along the central kilo parsec which is strongest at the nucleus and on the western side. The dust emission is more symmetric, suggesting that a dust lane is in fro nt of the stellar population to the west of the nucleus, and behind th e stars to the east; this is again suggestive of a stellar bar with le ading dust lanes. Channel maps and a position-velocity image of the Br gamma emission reveal two lobes and are consistent with the interpreta tion that the ionized gas, and hence, the young massive stars are dist ributed in a toroid of H II regions surrounding the nucleus.