An attempt to detect the galactic bulge at 12 microns with IRAS

Surface brightness maps at 12 mu m, derived from observations with the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), are used to estimate the integrated flux as a function of Galactic latitude along the minor axis from the Galactic bulge at this wavelength. A simple model was used to remove Galactic disk emission (e.g., unresolved stars and dust) from the IRAS measurements. The resulting estimates are compared with predictions for the 12 mu m bulge surface brightness based on observations of complete samples of optically identified M giants in several minor-axis bulge fields. No evidence is found for any significant component of 12 mu m emission in the bulge other than that expected from the optically identified M star sample plus normal, lower luminosity stars. Known large-amplitude variables and point sources from the IRAS catalog contribute only a small fraction to the total 12 mu m flux.