The relation between grain size and 40Ar/ 39Ar date for Alpine white mica from the Siviez-Mischabel Nappe, Switzerland

Abstract

Variations in Alpine white mica 40Ar/ 39Ar dates from the cover units of the Siviez-Mischabel Nappe relate to regional variations in the thermal history of the nappe. We focus on three regions within the nappe: the central Siviez-Mischabel (CSM), the southern Siviez-Mischabel (SSM), and the eastern Siviez-Mischabel (ESM). Our approach weaves together observations of quartz and mica textures in thin section, the variation of 40Ar/ 39Ar date with grain size, considerations of the effective diffusion dimension (EDD) of argon in white mica, and a comparison of dates with diffusion model results. In the CSM, pressure solution of quartz and dislocation glide in mica accommodated Alpine deformation. Dates record mica growth during nappe emplacement from 40 to 36 Ma and do not vary with grain size. In the SSM and ESM, both mica and quartz show textures associated with dynamic recrystallization, and dates decrease with grain size. In the SSM, dates also agree with the timing of nappe emplacement, but in the ESM, dates significantly post-date the timing of nappe emplacement. A comparison of dates with diffusion model results supports inferences from rock fabrics that the SSM experienced higher peak temperatures than the CSM, even though dates from both units approximate the timing of mica growth. Dates obtained from the ESM, however, do not compare well with simple models, and the thermal evolution of this region of the nappe, in the neighborhood of the Simplon Fault Zone, is not well understood.