Abstract An investigation of ice processes in the Tatarskiy Strait using ERS-I Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data, shows that during periods of cold northerly winds, coastal polynyas and southerly ice drift occur. In contrast, during a period of weak northerly winds, the ice drift is reversed with speeds of 5–15 km day-1. Continuity considerations suggest that this northwest drift is driven by a deep. southward-flowing brine plume, created by the rejected brine from the coastal polynyas. This indirect evidence of a deep brine flow shows that the Tatarskiy Strait may be a source of bottom water for the Japan Sea.