Super star clusters and Supernovae in interacting LIRGs unmasked by NIR
  adaptive optics
  We report on an on-going near-IR adaptive optics survey targeting interacting
luminous IR galaxies. High-spatial resolution NIR data are crucial to enable
interpretation of kinematic, dynamical and star formation (SF) properties of
these very dusty objects. Whole progenitor nuclei in the interactions can be
missed if only optical HST imaging is used. Here we specifically present the
latest results regarding core-collapse supernovae found within the highly
extincted nuclear regions of these galaxies. Direct detection and study of such
highly obscured CCSNe is crucial for revising the optically-derived SN rates
used for providing an independent measurement of the SF history of the
Universe. We also present thus-far the first NIR luminosity functions of super
star cluster (SSC) candidates. The LFs can then be used to constrain the
formation and evolution of SSCs via constraints based on initial mass functions
and cluster disruption models.
