re: Mars is Bone Dry
In the Phoenix Microscope images some of the particles look like clay. Clay is very absorbent of water. Clay has been confirmed at both the Spirit and Opportunity rover landing sites and has been confirmed from orbit in localized deposits.
Clay and other water absorbents such as zeolites have been proposed to explain the high water contents on Mars detected from orbit. If such water absorbents on the surface immediately absorbed the water would that effect the TECP results?
Bob Clark