On the correlation between supernova occurrence and nuclear activity in elliptical galaxies

We show that there is a correlation between the occurrence of supernovae and nuclear activity in elliptical galaxies. Both shun a canonical elliptical and occur only in those ellipticals which accrete gas. We also show that the hypothesis that all SNI come from short-lived stars is consistent with the colour observations of elliptical galaxies. We propose that there is a class of intrisically rounder, massive, dusty, metal-rich ellipticals which produce supernovae and are more likely to contain a radio source.