The complex dynamical structure of the Greenland Sea and its associated mesoscale processes can be observed in satellite imagery. Intense temperature gradients, e. g. between the East Greenland Current and the West Spitsbergen Current, are detected by infrared radiometry, as is the mesoscale activity associated with these fronts. Ocean colour data showing variations in phytoplankton biomass depict the underlying physical processes of the Greenland Sea. The variability in spatial scales of these features can be estimated from radiometry data. The highest pigment concentrations (> 20 mug l-1) are observed in the colder water close to the marginal ice zone (MIZ) which is clearly visible in the near-infrared data.