The topographic map reveals that the ice cap is about 1, 200 kilometres across, with a maximum thickness of three kilometres.

BBC: By BBC News Online Science Editor Dr David Whitehouse

"Because the maximum thickness of these small, low-altitude glaciers rarely exceeds 40 metres, with such an annual loss they will probably completely disappear within the coming decades, " said lead author Antoine Rabatel, from the Laboratory for Glaciology and Environmental Geophysics in Grenoble, France.

BBC: Massive melting of Andes glaciers

Using spacecraft data to make an Arctic-wide assessment of sea ice thickness , a University College London team found the 2008 winter maximum to be about 10% (26cm) below the 2002-2008 average.

BBC: Arctic team targets key ice data