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

: Kool EC, Ryder SD, Kankare E, Mattila S

: Eldridge JJ, Bray JC, McClelland LAS, Xiao L

: Symposium of the International-Astronomical-Union

: 2017

: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union

: The Lives and Death-Throes of Massive Stars

: LIVES AND DEATH-THROES OF MASSIVE STARS

: IAU SYMP P SERIES

: 12

: S329

: 416

: 1

: 978-1-10717-006-3

: 1743-9213

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921317002824

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.