Membership Application
Ooliths, Image Credit: Lori Carter
(See more about this image below)
For clubs that would like to join the SFMS
Please click below to read the bylaws concerning membership, then download the SFMS Membership Application, fill it out, and send it along with the following to the address on the application:
A copy of the club's constitution & bylaws (or a statement of the club's aims and purposes)
Initiation fee
Dues calculated based on the number of members at the time of the application
The application must be approved by the SFMS Executive Board, then the club can enjoy the many benefits of membership in the SFMS! Please explore this website to learn more!
About the image on this page
Ooliths
In this close-up picture of a piece of gravel (see the image below) collected on a club field trip in Alabama, there are some weird little spheres that are about 2mm wide. Each one is a tiny concretion called an oolith (pronounced oh-uh-lith). Ooliths are formed in shallow water that has gentle back and forth movement. Calcium carbonate in the water accumulates around a nucleus, like a piece of sand or shrimp poop. It builds up layer by layer like a pearl. Over time, the ooliths may become stuck together to form a rock. Then after even more time, the calcium carbonate is replaced by silica. In this case, in addition to the silica, something else was involved in the replacement, perhaps manganese or iron, hence the dark color of the ooliths.
Image Credits: Lori Carter
