Geomicrobiological Properties and Processes of Travertine: With a Focus on Japanese Sites

This book presents basic knowledge and key objectives of research of geological, geochemical, and microbial properties and processes in travertines, carbonate deposits precipitated from calcareous hot springs. Much of the contents are based on the authors’ researches performed in Japan and Indonesia over the last decade. Travertine is one of the most active sedimentary systems, which have a potential impact on the Earth’s environment. It is also an accessible epitome of the Earth’s history, cultivating ancestral bacteria and representing a modern analog for ancient stromatolites. Readers can learn how integration of various scopes and methods unveils mysterious phenomena in travertine and can find clues for considering the early history of the Earth and life. This book includes a monographic chapter on Japanese onsens, or hot springs, which may help tourists to select the best places to enjoy the unique features of travertine.