ELM: Europa Luminescence Microscope

The Europa Luminescence Microscope (ELM) is an automated fluorescence and bright-field microscope designed to meet key objectives defined in the 2016 NASA Europa Lander Study Report, including the identification and characterization of morphological biosignatures. ELM’s heritage stems from a 2U cubesat fluorescence microscope, the Fluorescence Analysis for In situ Research imager, designed and built at NASA Ames Research Center, for the autonomous study of microbial biology in low Earth orbit. For ELM implementation, a sample is autonomously manipulated with a microfluidic system using in-line 10, 1.0, and 0.2 μm pore-size filters to capture successively smaller particles for imaging. For bright-field imaging, ELM uses deep-ultraviolet, ultraviolet and visible light to image organic and inorganic structures with submicron resolution. The ability to detect biosignatures as small as 0.2 μm in size is achieved by imaging native fluorescence and using fluorescence microscopy stains to identify key structural and functional indicators of microbial life (proteins, lipids, nucleic acids). For fluorescence imaging, ELM uses 265, 370, 470, and 530 nm LEDs with five emission bands. The use of multiple excitation and emission wavelengths for native fluorescence imaging enables the detection of a wide range of molecular species and their rough classification. Excitation at 265 nm allows for the detection of smaller polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), aromatic amino acids, and proteins with little to no interference from mineral fluorescence, given proper emission band selection. 370 and 470 nm light excites increasingly larger PAH structures and larger aromatic biomolecules that may be present (e.g., protective pigments). Similarly, inorganic fluorescence can be characterized and separated from organic fluorescence, allowing the recognition and in some cases classification, of minerals and other abiotic particles. ELM is based upon work supported by the NASA COLDTech and ICEE-2 programs.