1. The SUNBIRD survey: Uncovering supernovae in LIRGs
Erik Kool
Macquarie University / AAO
Supervisors: Stuart Ryder
Richard McDermid
Collaborators: Seppo Mattila
Erkki Kankare
Rubina Kotak
Miguel Pérez-Torres
Image processing courtesy Mischa Schirmer (Gemini Obs.)

2. Introduction Importance of Core-collapse Supernovae (CCSNe)
Source of heavier elements
Give rise to black holes and neutron stars
Trigger cloud collapse
Direct tracer massive star formation
Layered massive star
Collapse inert core
Shock turned outward
Material ejected
Core collapse of a massive star (> 8M)
(Illustration by R. J. Hall)

3. Supernova rate (SNR) measurements vs. prediction from SFR
Introduction
The “Supernova rate problem”
Significant fraction of CCSNe go unseen
Supernova rate (SNR) measurements vs. prediction from SFR
(Horiuchi et al., 2011)

4. Introduction Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs)
LIR > 1011 L⊙, concentrated sites of star formation and dust
Typical expected SNR of ~1/year, but not many found
Fraction of SF in (U)LIRGs increases with redshift
LIRG IRAS “The Bird”
(Väisänen et al., 2008)

5. Supernova detections in IRAS 18293-3413
SUNBIRD survey
Supernovae Unmasked by InfraRed Detections
NIR laser guide star adaptive optics (LGSAO)
Triple our sample of LIRG CCSNe discoveries
Provide meaningful constraints on missing CCSNe fraction
NACO (2004)
GSAOI (2013)
Image subtraction
Supernova detections in IRAS

6. Template light curve fits SN2010cu
Method
Observing strategy and analysis
Epochs aligned and smoothed by convolution kernel
Difference imaging, 3 month cadence
Magnitudes fitted to templates
Template light curve fits SN2010cu
(Kankare et al., 2012)

7. Gemini South telescope
Instruments
GeMS/GSAOI on Gemini South Telescope
85” x 85” field of view
Typical image quality 0.08” ” in Ks band
NIRC2 on Keck II
40” x 40” field of view
Typical image quality 0.06” ” in Ks band
Gemini South telescope
Keck telescopes

8. Results LGSAO data Epochs for 19 LIRGs, 9 with multiple epochs
Three supernovae

9. Supernova detection in NGC 3110, March 2015
Results
Supernova in NGC 3110
3.3 kpc off-nucleus (9”)
Ks discovery magnitude: 18.8 ± 0.1
NACO (2013)
GSAOI (March 2015)
Subtraction
Optical non-AO
Supernova detection in NGC 3110, March 2015
(Kool et al., in prep)

10. Type IIP SN 1999em template lightcurve fit
Results
Supernova in NGC 3110
Best fit: Type IIP caught in tail phase
AV extinction: ~5 mag
Type IIP SN 1999em template lightcurve fit
(Kool et al., in prep)

11. Supernova detection in IRAS 17138-1017, March 2015
Results
Supernova in IRAS
550 pc off-nucleus (1.5”)
Ks detection magnitude: 16.5 ± 0.05
Lightcurve poorly constrained
GSAOI (2013)
GSAOI (March 2015)
Subtraction
Optical non-AO
Supernova detection in IRAS , March 2015
(Kool et al., in prep)

12. Future work NIR AO coverage Optical IFU
Programs running on Gemini South and Keck
SN statistics and detection efficiencies
Optical IFU
IFU observations with AAT/KOALA and ANU/WiFeS
Local SN conditions: Local SFR, dust reddening, metallicity, merger kinematics