Most likely
Adaptive optics requires to control mirror surfaces to within a fraction of the wavelength you are observing with. Thus longer wavelengths, IR, thermal, etc. are easier to use AO with.
_IF_ Starfire was usin AO some how to take these pics, then they were certainly looking at wavelengths longer than optical... the fact that we see what appears to be the heated air behind the wing makes me believe they were observing at "thermal" wavelengths...
IF they were using AO that explains why we do not see the full res. pics... I will post later on why I believe this to be the case....