Enough with your insults. You should be ashamed! ;-)

Remember when all those hyper-reddened "true color" surface images of Mars were everywhere in the planetary science community? Remember how they were rigorously justified and fiercely defended as "accurately reflecting" the measured spectral response from the Martian surface? I can still find cites if you want, but you know exactly what I am talking about. And you further know that for all intents and purposes all of those ridiculously RED MARS "tru-color" images were fraudulent. But you know what? Scholars defended those fraudulent images... until authority stepped in and said, blushing, "Wellll, they weren't all that accurate after all. Whoops. Sorry."

I suggest that anyone who cares to: do the test that Nick suggests. I have done it. And I showed Nick the results. Guess what? Whatever its TES spectral response may or may not be (this is an instrument which BTW cannot distinguish between atmospheric and surface carbon)-- VISUALLY, based on (processed) images available, "White Rock" is significantly brighter and lighter than nearly all the light-colored regions of Mars, though not quite as white and bright as new-fallen snow. Are you prepared to argue that "White Rock" images have all been specially processed to enhance the contrast in that specific site? I thought not.

It's white enough for government work, and all the recent efforts to "de-white" it are simply perverse. What is the point, except to dispute for its own sake?

Interestingly, similar deposits found widely on Mars are NOT generally much lighter or brighter than surrounding light-colored regions. Yet these deposits seem identical in appearance, erosion, deposition, etc. Would you argue that the contrast in these images was suppressed?

Why would anyone deliberately enhance the contrast of "White Rock" images and suppress the contrast of images of other, similar deposits? The mind reels at the thought.

The "White Rock" deposit is pretty much unique in its reflectivity and brilliance. Why try to spin it otherwise? Nobody gains, knowledge is not advanced, science is not served.

As for your insinuation that you do not bow to planetary science authority, forgive my smile... <|:-)

Cheers, BFelix