The following document lists the file abstract/JBREGMAN_PROP_1.abs
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Supernovae play a key role in the dynamics, structure, and chemical evolution of galaxies. The massive stars that end their lives as supernovae live for short enough times so that many are still associated with dusty star formation regions when they explode, making them difficult to observe at visible wavelengths. In active star forming regions (galactic nuclei and starburst regions), visible extinction is especially severe. Thus, determining the supernova rate in active star forming regions of galaxies, where the supernova rate can be one or two orders of magnitude higher than the average, has proven to be difficult. From spectra we obtained of SN1987A, we know that supernovae have emission from a set of 4 strong lines in the mid-ir. These lines include [NiII] 6.63 um, [ArII] 6.98 um, Pf alpha 7.45 um, and [CoII] 10.52 um. The relative strengths of the lines changes over time as the supernova shell expands. The [NiII] emission line is a unique supernova signature, and in SN1987A it was the strongest line in the infrared for a period of a year and a half after the explosion. Since dust extinction is much less in the mid-ir than at visible wavelengths (eg. A(6.63)/A(V) = 0.025), the NiII line can be used as a sensitive probe to detect recent supernovae. We propose to use ISOCAM with its CVF to observe a selection of infrared luminous nuclei of starburst galaxies to determine the supernova rate in galactic nuclei and starburst regions. ISO is essential for these observations since the key supernova indicator, the 6.63 um [NiII] line is unobservable from ground-based telescopes, and the expected line intensities are too weak to be observed from existing airborne telescopes.