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Forbidden Fe+ Emission from Supernovae Remnants in M33

Supernovae remnants are known to be luminous sources of infrared [FeII] emission. By studying how the luminosity scales with age, environment and other relevant factors, we can construct an [FeII] luminosity function for supernovae remnants. This will enable us to predict supernovae rates in starburst galaxies that are too distant for individual remnants to be resolved. First, however, we require accurate luminosities for a sample of remnants of varying ages, and in varying physical environments. As part of this project we have carried out an initial study of a small sample of evolved (ages greater than a few thousand years) remnants in M33. From these data we tentatively conclude that there is evidence for the peak luminosity in the [FeII] lines of these sources to arise in a narrow range of ages. In other respects, the M33 remnants are similar to their galactic and Magellanic Cloud counterparts in the observed peak luminosity. From this, and internal evidence as to the environment present in these regions, we conclude that the luminosity of evolved remnants is only marginally dependent on density and metallicity.