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Motility an Agnostic Biosignature from Mount Saint Helens, a Glaciovolcanic Environment
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  • Carl Snyder,
  • Jay Nadeau,
  • Christian Lindensmith,
  • James Wallace,
  • Michael Paton,
  • Mark Skidmore,
  • Ashley Dubnick,
  • Qunicy Faber,
  • Brent Christner,
  • Nathan Bramall,
  • Peter Doran
Carl Snyder
Portland State University

Corresponding Author:carl5@pdx.edu

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Jay Nadeau
Portland State University
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Christian Lindensmith
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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James Wallace
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Michael Paton
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Mark Skidmore
Montana State University
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Ashley Dubnick
Montana State University
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Qunicy Faber
University of Florida
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Brent Christner
University of Florida
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Nathan Bramall
Leiden Measurement Technology
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Peter Doran
Louisiana State University
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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.