If the total amount of inputs (e.g snow/precipitation, an avalanche, weathered material) is greater than the total amount of outputs (e.g moraine/scree, meltwater, calving/icebergs)
then I>O then the glacier grows (there is a higher rate of accumulation)
if I=O then there is no change (accumulation=ablation/ at equilibrium)
if I<O then the glacier shrinks (there is a higher rate of ablation)
This is an example of a mass balance graph:
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| Taken form revision world |
In this example the glacier is in equilibrium
