Penitentes: Snowfields On Land

We've all studied the concepts of sublimation,evaporation,condensation in our childhood. But nature has it's own way of teaching us things.

In high altitude areas, when sun rays hit the snow, instead of melting them, sun’s rays turn snow directly into water vapor( sublimation) forming many sharp ice spikes called Penitente.

These are formed mostly during summers on Himalayas, Andesor any high altitude areas.
The border between Argentina and Chile has these beautiful Penitente arranged in the pattern similar to fields. Penitentes can grow as tall as 15 feet.

Penitentes are believed to be present in the tropics zone on Europa, a satellite of Jupiter and on Pluto as well. Pluto is the only planetary body other than Earth on which penitentes have been identified.

It has been observed that penitentes on pluto grow only during periods of high atmospheric pressure. This takes place at a rate of 1 centimeter per orbital cycle.