High-resolution optical studies of nearby Type Ia supernovae

Since April 2000, a program using the ESO/VLT/UVES to search for early circumstellar signatures from nearby supernovae has been conducted. Until now, two Type Ia supernovae have been observed, SNe 2000cx and 2001el. Here we report on preliminary results for SNe 2001el, and we discuss how the observations can be used together with detailed modeling to derive an upper limit on the putative wind from the progenitor system. For a hydrogen-rich wind with velocity 10 km/s, the mass loss rate for the progenitor system of SN 2001el is less than 1O^{-5} solar masses per year.