Radio Supernovae: A Window into the Heart of Starburst Galaxies

High-resolution radio observations of the nuclear regions of Luminous and Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies (ULIRGs) have shown that their radio structure consists of a compact high surface-brightness central radio source inmersed in a diffuse low brightness circumnuclear halo. While the central components could be associated with AGNs or compact star-forming regions, where radio supernovae are exploding, it is well known that the circumnuclear regions host bursts of star-formation. Studies of radio supernovae can provide essential information about stellar evolution and CSM/ISM properties in regions hidden by dust at optical and IR wavelengths. High-resolution radio observations of LIRGs can allow us to determine the core-collapse supernova rate in themas well as their star-formation rate.