The sea level anomaly data derived from satellite altimetry are analyzed to investigate statistical characteristics of mesoscale eddies in the North Pacific. Eddies are detected by a free-threshold eddy identification algorithm. The results show that the distributions of size, amplitude, propagation speed, and eddy kinetic energy of eddy follow the Rayleigh distribution. The most active regions of eddies are the Kuroshio Extension region, the Subtropical Counter Current zone, and the Northeastern Tropical Pacific region. By contrast, eddies are seldom observed around the center of the eastern part of the North Pacific Subarctic Gyre. The propagation speed and kinetic energy of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies are almost the same, but anticyclonic eddies possess greater lifespans, sizes, and amplitudes than those of cyclonic eddies. Most eddies in the North Pacific propagate westward except in the Oyashio region. Around the northeastern tropical Pacific and the California currents, cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies propagate westward with slightly equatorward (197° average azimuth relative to east) and poleward (165°) deflection, respectively. This implies that the background current may play an important role in formation of the eddy pathway patterns.

This study uses the Argos satellite‐tracked surface drifter trajectory data and ENVISAT (European satellite) ASAR (advanced synthetic aperture radar) images to illustrate the ocean vortex trains (OVT) in the Luzon Strait. Two cases that occurred in the northwest of Babuyan Island are observed. The first train of three cyclonic vortices showed up on drifter trajectories from 20° to 20.5°N and from 120° to 121°E, and the second, consisting of five pairs of cyclonic‐anticyclonic vortices, occurred on the upstream side of the first one from 19.5° to 20.0°N and from 121.0° to 122.0°E and showed up on the ASAR images acquired on 19 November 2006. The total length of the vortex train axis reaches about 250 km. All vortices propagate northwestward (∼315° TN). The mean angular velocity is (2.07 ± 0.18) × 10⁻⁵ s⁻¹. Theoretical models of ocean vortex radar image derived from radar imaging theories are used to extract dynamical parameters from ASAR imagery signatures, which include the distance between two consecutive vortices and that between two rows of vortices of (22.6 ± 1.9) km and (8.2 ± 1.2) km, respectively, the maximum rotational velocity radius as 4.70 km, and the vortex rotational angular velocity 3 × 10⁻⁵s⁻¹. Dynamical analyses give the mean velocity of the current of 0.65 ms⁻¹, and the propagation velocity of the vortex 0.58 ms⁻¹. The vortex shedding rate is estimated as 2.57 × 10⁻⁵ s⁻¹. The Reynolds number is estimated as 50 to 500. For the individual vortex and the vortex train, the Rossby numbers are O(0.4), and O(0.5), respectively, implying that both vortex and vortex train observed in the Luzon Strait have a sub‐mesoscale nature. This study also reveals a strong current with an average surface current velocity of around 0.7 ms⁻¹ and the direction of around 315° TN flowing directly from the Pacific to SCS passing through the southern Luzon Strait. The mean flow velocity can be calculated using methods developed in this study and OVT dynamical models. This information may provide more insight to the circulation systems in the area including the origin of Kuroshio.