Motility an Agnostic Biosignature from Mount Saint Helens, a
Glaciovolcanic Environment
Abstract
Self-propelled motion is an agnostic biosignature that is observed
widely, yet motility of microbes in their natural environments is
sparsely studied. In this study we use a Digital Holographic Microscope
(DHM) for in situ imaging of aquatic samples in extreme environments to
investigate motility and morphology as biosignatures. Samples were
collected from glaciovolcanic ice caves, glacial runoff, hot springs,
and mixed glacial and hot spring samples.The transport and deposition of
materials and heat from the volcanic subsurface in glaciovolcanic caves
may be similar in some respects to the eruption processes of the plumes
of Enceladus. Through different tracking methods, we identified
concentrations of organisms, morphologies, swimming patterns, speeds,
and turn angles. In every type of sample we looked we were able to
identify motile organisms. Methods for distinguishing active swimming
from Browian motion and drift are considered. Field work was done over
two deployments in collaboration with the Thermal High-voltage
Ocean-penetrating Research platform (THOR) science team and EELS
robotics team. This work and these collaborations intend to inform
future off-world extant life detection missions of the utility of DHM
and motility as an investigation tool and biosignature, respectively.