[FeII] as a shock tracer in NGC 253

Supernovae play an integral role in the feedback of processed material back into the interstellar medium (ISM) of galaxies and are responsible for most of the chemical enrichment of the universe. The rate of supernovae can also reveal the star formation histories. In a sample of 11 nearby galaxies observed with SINFONI, a strong linear correlation between [FeII]1.26 luminosity and Starburst 99-derived supernova rate is found on a pixel-pixel basis. In the very nearby archetypal starburst galaxy NGC 253, the excitation of molecular gas is a subject of debate. Using the correlation between [FeII] and supernova rate, we can determine if supernovae can account for the excitation of the bright observed near-infrared H2 emission.