While glaciers that cover more than five square kilometers have lost 12% of their mass, those under one square kilometer have lost 38 percent. Applying the overall ratio of mass lost to area covered, this means that the smallest (and most numerous) Himalayan glaciers lost up to 57% of their mass between 1960 and 2004.
SAC 的上述研究还表明，小冰川萎缩得比大冰川快。面积达到 5 平方公里以上的冰川损失了 12% 的冰川物质，而面积不足 1 平方公里的则损失了 38% 。根据冰川物质流失的整体速率和冰川面积来推算，面积最小的喜马拉雅山冰川在 1960~2004 年期间损失了高达 57% 的冰川物质，而这一部分冰川是数量最大的。