They are called Nieves Penitentes or simply Penitentes.
Penitentes are a common sight in the regions between Argentina and Chile.
Penitentes were first described in the literature by Darwin in 1839.
An initially smooth snow surface first develops depressions as some regions randomly sublimate faster than others.
At the micro-scale, similar-looking spikes help solar cell surfaces maximize their sunlight absorption.
Studies are being pursued in this field to discover the effect of global warming on the formation of Penitentes.
