High resolution mooring time series are used to quantify significant chlorophyll anomalies associated with tropical instability waves (TIWs) in the equatorial Pacific. Distinct peaks characterized by very high chlorophyll (up to 3.5 mg m-3) are observed in association with TIW cold cusps. These high-chlorophyll peaks appear to differ with respect to scale and intensity from those previously observed at subductive fronts. The physical processes responsible for the observed chlorophyll distributions are not mutually exclusive, and include advection, horizontal mixing, enhanced upwelling and concentration of biomass at fronts. Given the potentially large spatial extent of these high chlorophyll bands, their importance as regions of increased productivity and CO2 uptake is discussed. ¿ 2001 American Geophysical Union