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First results from Project SUNBIRD: Supernovae UNmasked By Infra-Red Detection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2017

Erik C. Kool
Affiliation:
Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW 2109, Australia email: erik.kool@students.mq.edu.au Australian Astronomical Observatory, Sydney NSW 1670, Australia
Stuart D. Ryder
Affiliation:
Australian Astronomical Observatory, Sydney NSW 1670, Australia
Erkki Kankare
Affiliation:
Astrophysics Research Centre, Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom
Seppo Mattila
Affiliation:
Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku, Kaarina, Finland
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Abstract

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A substantial number of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) are expected to be hosted by starbursting luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs). However, so far very few CCSNe have been discovered in LIRGs, most likely as a result of dust extinction and lack of contrast in their typically luminous and complex nuclear regions. We present the first results of Project SUNBIRD (Supernovae UNmasked By InfraRed Detection), where we aim to uncover dust-obscured nuclear supernovae by monitoring over 30 LIRGs, using near-infrared state-of-the-art Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics (LGSAO) imaging on the Gemini South and Keck telescopes. Such discoveries are vital for determining the fraction of supernovae which will be missed as a result of dust obscuration by current and future optical surveys.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2017 

References

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