Abstract
The Arctic and Antarctic Ocean is one of the most productive areas in the world's oceans. An abrupt environmental change which is likely due to the global warming has appeared in these polar oceans. Minimum sea ice extent was recorded in the Arctic Ocean in September 2007, and disintegration of large ice shelf in the Antarctica was also revealed. Effects of such large-scale changes of marine environment on aquatic photosynthesis by phytoplankton are concerned and its monitoring in these oceans is crucial. Remote sensing is effective tool and available to estimate the production of phytoplankton simultaneously with other environmental factors because continuous investigations in the polar region are difficult. I will introduce the distribution of ocean primary production and biomass viewed from satellite and their recent changes in the polar oceans.
