Field-Based Planetary Protection Operations for Melt Probes: Validation of Clean Access into the Blood Falls,...

Area of Science:

• Astrobiology
• Geomicrobiology
• Planetary Science

Background:

• Subglacial environments are Earth analogs for Ocean Worlds.
• Accessing these environments is challenging due to thick ice.
• Maintaining sample sterility is crucial for accurate analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a field-based cleaning protocol for the IceMole melt probe.
• To assess the effectiveness of the cleaning protocol in minimizing contamination.
• To support geomicrobiological studies in terrestrial subglacial environments.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a thermoelectric melting probe (IceMole) for minimally invasive sampling.
• Implemented a field-based cleaning protocol to reduce exterior bioburden.
• Collected brine samples from a glacier conduit at Blood Falls, Antarctica.
• Analyzed microbial contaminants using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.

Main Results:

• The IceMole's exterior bioburden was reduced to clean room levels.
• Contamination levels in the final englacial sample were extremely low (∼0.063%).
• The cleaning protocol proved effective in a remote field setting.

Conclusions:

• The described cleaning protocol minimizes contamination in subglacial sampling.
• This method enhances the study of microbial life in extreme terrestrial environments.
• The protocol informs planetary protection strategies for Ocean World exploration.