Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Delineation and characterization of a new seismic source model for seismic hazard studies in Egypt

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Natural Hazards Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the present study, a new seismic source model for the Egyptian territory and its surroundings is proposed. This model can be readily used for seismic hazard assessment and seismic forecasting studies. Seismicity data, focal mechanism solutions, as well as all available geological and tectonic information (e.g. active faults) were taken into account during the definition of this model, in an attempt to define zones which do not show only a rather homogeneous seismicity release, but also exhibit similar seismotectonic characteristics. This work presents a comprehensive description of the different tectonic features and their associated seismicity to define the possible seismic sources in and around Egypt. The proposed seismic source model comprises 28 seismic sources covering the shallow seismicity (h ≤ 35 km) for the Egyptian territory and its surroundings. In addition, for the Eastern Mediterranean region, we considered the shallow seismic source zones (h ≤ 20 km), used in the SHARE project for estimating the seismic hazard for Europe. Furthermore, to cover the intermediate-depth seismicity (20 ≤ h ≤ 100 km), seven intermediate seismic source zones were delineated in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Following the determination of zone boundaries, a separate earthquake and focal mechanism sub-catalogue for each seismic zone was created. Seismicity parameters (b-value, activity “a-value” and maximum expected magnitude) have been computed for each source. In addition, the predominant focal mechanism solution was assigned for each source zone using the stress field inversion approach. The proposed seismic source model and its related seismicity parameters can be employed directly in seismic hazard assessment studies for Egypt.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdel Aal A, El Barkooky A, Gerrites M, Meyer H, Schwander M, Zaki H (2000) Tectonic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean Basin and its significance for hydrocarbon prospectivity in the ultra-deep water of the Nile Delta. In: The Mediterranean offshore conference, Alexandria, Egypt

  • Abdel Fattah AK, Hussein HM, El Hady S (2006) Another look at the 1993 and 1995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquake from the analysis of teleseismic waveforms. Acta Geophys 54:260–279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abdel Tawab S, Helal A, Deweidar H, El-Sayed A (1993) Surface tectonic features of 12 October, 1992 earthquake, Egypt, at the epicentral area. In: Ain Shams scientific bulletin; special issue, pp 124–136

  • Abdel-Rahman MA, El-Etr HA (1978) The orientational characteristics of the structure grain of the Eastern Desert of Egypt. In: Symposium of the evolution and mineralization of the Arabian–Nubian Shield. Institute of Applied Geology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

  • Abdel-Rahman K, Al-Amri AMS, Abdel-Moneim E (2009) Seismicity of Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. Arab J Geosci 2:103–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abdelwahed MF, El-Khrepy S, Qaddah A (2013) Three-dimensional structure of Conrad and Moho discontinuities in Egypt. J Afr Earth Sci 85:87–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abou Elenean KM (1997) Seismotectonics of Egypt in relation to the Mediterranean and Red Sea tectonics. Ph.D. dissertation, Ain Shams University, Egypt

  • Abou Elenean KM (2007) Focal Mechanism of small and moderate size earthquakes recorded by the Egyptian National Seismic Network (ENSN), Egypt. NRIAG J Geophys 6:117–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Abou Elenean KM (2010) Seismotectonics studies of El-Dabaa and its surroundings. Unpublished report

  • Abou Elenean KM, Hussein HM, Abu El-Ata AS, Ibrahim EM (2000) Seismological aspects of the Cairo earthquake, 12th October 1992. Ann Geofis 43:485–504

    Google Scholar 

  • Abrahamson N (2006) Seismic hazard assessment: problems with current practice and future developments. In: First conference on earthquake engineering and seismology, Geneva, Switzerland

  • Albert RNH (1986) Seismicity and earthquake hazard at the proposed site for a nuclear power plant in the El-Dabaa Area, North Western Desert, Egypt. Acta Geophys Pol 34:263–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Albert RNH (1987) Seismicity and earthquake hazard at the proposed site for a nuclear power plant in the Anshas Area, Nile Delta, Egypt. Acta Geophys Pol 35:343–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Ambraseys N, Jackson J (1998) Faulting associated with historical and recent earthquakes in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Geophys J Int 133:390–406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ambraseys NN, Melville CP, Adams RD (1994) The seismicity of Egypt, Arabia and Red Sea. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Angelier J, Mechler P (1977) Su rune methode graphique de recherché des contraintes principales egalement ultilisable en tectonique et en seismologie: La methode des diedres droits. Bull Soc Geol Fr 19:651–652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Araya R, Der Kiureghian A (1988) Seismic hazard analysis: improved models, uncertainties and sensitivities. Report to the National Science Foundation, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, report no. UCB/EERC-90/11

  • Badawy A (1999) Historical seismicity of Egypt. Acta Geod Geophys Hung 34:119–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Badawy A (2001) Status of the crustal stress as inferred from earthquake focal mechanisms and borehole breakouts in Egypt. Tectonophysics 343:49–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Badawy A (2005) Present-day seismicity, stress field and crustal deformation of Egypt. J Seismol 9:267–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Badawy A, Horváth F (1999) Recent stress field of the Sinai subplate region. Tectonophysics 304:385–403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bartov Y (1974) A structural and paleographic study of the central Sinai faults and Domes. PhD. dissertation, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

  • Bayer H, Hötzl H, Jado A, Bocher B, Voggenreiter W (1988) Sedimentary and structural evolution of the Northwest Arabian Red Sea margin. Tectonophysics 153:137–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beadnell HJL (1901) Dakhla Oasis, its topography and geology. Egypt Survey Department, Cairo, p 104

  • Ben-Menahem A (1979) Earthquake catalogue for the Middle East (92 BC–1980 AD). Bull Geofisca Teor Appl 21:245–310

    Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Menahem A, Aboodi E (1971) Tectonic pattern in the Northern Red Sea region. J Geophys Res 76:2674–2689

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Menahem A, Nur A, Vered M (1976) Tectonics, seismicity and structure of the Afro-Eurasian junction—the breaking of an incoherent plate. Phys Earth Planet Inter 12:1–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonati E (1985) Punctiform initiation of seafloor spreading in the Red Sea during transition from a continental to an oceanic rift. Nature 316:7–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Bosworth W (1985) A high-strain Rift model for the Southern Gulf of Suez, Egypt. In: Lambiase LL (ed) Hydrocarbon habitat in rift basins, vol 80. Geological Society of London Special Publications, London, pp 75–102

  • Bosworth W, Taviani M (1996) Late Quaternary reorientation of stress field and the extension direction in the Southern Gulf of Suez, Egypt: evidence from uplifted coral terraces, mesoscopic fault arrays and borehole breakouts. Tectonics 15:791–802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chorowicz J, Sorlien C (1992) Oblique extensional tectonics in the Malawi Rift, Africa. Geol Soc Am Bull 104:1015–1023

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cochran JR (1983) A model for the development of the Red Sea. AAPG Bull 67:41–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Cochran JR, Martinez F (1988) Evidence from the Northern Red Sea on the transition from continental to oceanic rifting. Tectonophysics 153:25–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cochran JR, Martinez F, Steckler MS, Hobart MA (1986) Conrad deep: a new northern Red Sea deep, origin and implications for continental rifting. Earth Planet Sci Lett 78:18–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colletta B, Le Quellec P, Letouzey J, Moretti I (1988) Longitudinal evolution of the Suez rift structure, Egypt. Tectonophysics 153:221–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Comninakis PE, Papazachos BC (1980) Space and time distribution of the intermediate depth earthquakes in the Hellenic arc. Tectonophysics 70:35–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooke P (1979) Statistical inference for bounds of random variables. Biometrika 66:367–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cornell CA (1968) Engineering seismic risk analysis. Bull Seismol Soc Am 18:1583–1606

    Google Scholar 

  • Daggett P, Morgan P, Boulous F, Hennin S, El-Sherif A, El-Sayed A, Basta N, Melek Y (1986) Seismicity and active tectonics of the Egyptian Red Sea margin and the northern Red Sea. Tectonophysics 125:313–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deif A (1998) Seismic hazard assessment in and around Egypt in relation to plate tectonics. Ph.D. dissertation, Ain Shams University, Egypt

  • Deif A, Abou Elenean KM, El-Hadidy M, Tealeb A, Mohamed A (2009) Probabilistic seismic hazard maps for Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. J Geophys Eng 6:288–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deif A, Hamed H, Ibrahim HA, Abou Elenean KM, El-Amin EM (2011) Seismic hazard assessment in Aswan, Egypt. J Geophys Eng 8:531–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delvaux D, Barth A (2010) African stress pattern from formal inversion of focal mechanism data. Tectonophysics 482:105–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delvaux D, Sperner B (2003) New aspects of tectonic stress inversion with reference to the TENSOR program. Geological Society of London, special publications no. 212, London, pp 75–100

  • Demircioglu MB (2010) The earthquake hazard and risk assessment for Turkey. PhD. dissertation, Bogazici University, Turkey

  • Demircioglu MB, Sesetyan K, Durukal E, Erdik M (2007) Assessment of earthquake hazard in Turkey. In: Proceedings of the 4th international conference on earthquake geotechnical engineering, 25–28 June, Thessaloniki, Greece. Springer, New York

  • Dewey JF, Helman ML, Turco E, Hutton DHW, Knott SD (1989) Kinematics of the Western Mediterranean. In: Coward MP, Detrich D, Park RG (eds) Alpine tectonics, vol 45. Geological Society of London Special Publications, London, pp 265–283

  • Dorre AS, Carrara E, Cella F, Grimaldi M, Hady YA, Hassan H, Rapolla A, Roberti N (1997) Crustal thickness of Egypt determined by gravity data. J Afr Earth Sci 25:425–434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dziewonski AM, Ekstrom G, Salganik MP (1997) Centroid moment tensor solutions for October–December 1995. Phys Earth Planet Inter 101:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EGSMA (Egyptian Geological Survey and Mining Authority) (1981) Geologic map of Egypt 1:2000000. Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Cairo, Egypt

  • Egyptian National Seismic Network (ENSN) Bulletins (1998–2010) Earthquakes in and around Egypt. National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Cairo

  • Ekström G, Nettles M, Dziewonski AM (2012) The global CMT project 2004–2010: centroid-moment tensors for 13,017 earthquakes. Phys Earth Planet Inter 200–201:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engdahl ER, Van Der Hilstand R, Buland R (1998) Global teleseismic earthquake relocation with improved travel times and procedures for depth determination. Bull Seismol Soc Am 88:722–743

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Gaby S (1983) Architecture of the Egyptian basement complex. In: 5th international conference on basement tectonics, Egypt

  • El-Hadidy S (1995) Crustal structure and its related causative tectonics in Northern Egypt using geophysical data. PhD. dissertation, Ain Shams University, Egypt

  • El-Hefnawy M, Deif A, El-Hemamy ST, Gomaa NM (2006) Probabilistic assessment of earthquake hazard in Sinai in relation to the seismicity in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Bull Eng Geol Environ 65:309–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Isa Z, Merghelani H, Bazari M (1984) The Gulf of Aqaba earthquake swarm of 1983. Geophys J R Astron Soc 76:711–722

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Rakaiby ML, El-Aassy IE (1989) Structural interpretation of Paleozoic-Mesozoic rocks, Southwestern Sinai, Egypt. Ann Geol Surv Egypt 16:269–273

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Sayed A, Wahlström R (1996) Distribution of the energy release, b-values and seismic hazard in Egypt. Nat Hazards 13:133–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Sayed A, Wahlström R, Kulhanek O (1994) Seismic hazard of Egypt. Nat Hazards 10:247–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Sayed A, Vaccari V, Panza GF (2001) Deterministic seismic hazard in Egypt. Geophys J Int 144:555–567

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Shazly EM (1977) The geology of the Egyptian region. In: Nairn-Alan EM, Kanes WH, Stehli-Francis G (eds) The ocean basin and margins: the Eastern Mediterranean, vol 4A. Plenum Press, New York

  • EMME (Earthquake Model of the Middle East Region) (2013) Hazard, risk assessment, economics and mitigation. http://www.emme-gem.org/. Accessed July 2014

  • Eurocode 8 (2004) Design of structures for earthquake resistance. Part 1: general rules, seismic actions and rules for buildings. EN1998-1. European Committee for Standardization, Brussel

  • Eyal M, Eyal Y, Bartov Y, Steinitz G (1981) The tectonic development of the western margin of the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba) Rift. Tectonophysics 80:39–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fairhead JD, Girdler RW (1970) The seismicity of the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Afar triangle. Philos Trans R Soc Lond 267:49–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fat-Helbary RE, Ohta Y (1996) Assessment of seismic hazard in Aswan Area, Egypt. In: 11th world conference on earthquake engineering, paper no. 136. Elsevier, Amsterdam

  • Fat-Helbary RE, El Khashab HM, Dojcinovski D, El Faragawy KO, Abdel-Motaal AM (2008) Seismicity and seismic hazard analysis in and around the proposed Tushka new city site, south Egypt. Acta Geodyn Geomater 5:389–398

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner JK, Knopoff L (1974) Is the sequence of earthquakes in Southern California, with aftershocks removed, Poissonian? Bull Seismol Soc Am 64:1363–1367

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardosh M, Reches Z, Garfunkel Z (1990) Holocene tectonic deformation along the western margins of the Dead Sea. Tectonophysics 180:132–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garfunkel Z (1981) Internal structure of the Dead Sea leaky transform (rift) in relation to plate kinematics. Tectonophysics 80:81–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garfunkel Z, Bartov Y (1977) The tectonics of the Suez rift. Geol Surv Isr Bull 71:44

    Google Scholar 

  • Garfunkel Z, Zak I, Freund R (1981) Active faulting in the Dead Sea rift. Tectonophysics 80:1–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gephart JW, Forsyth DW (1984) An improved method for determining the regional stress tensor using earthquake focal mechanism data: application to the San Fernando earthquake sequence. J Geophys Res 89:9305–9320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerson R, Grossman S, Amit R, Greenbaum N (1993) Indicators of faulting events and periods of quiescence in desert alluvial fans. Earth Surf Proc Landf 18:181–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghebreab W (1998) Tectonics of the Red Sea region: reassessed. Earth Sci Rev 45:1–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Girdler RW (1990) The Dead Sea transform fault system. Tectonophysics 180:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Girdler RW, Styles P (1974) Two stage sea-floor spreading. Nature 247:7–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gomez F, Meghraoui M, Darkal AN, Hijazi F, Mouty M, Suleiman Y, Sbeinati R, Darawcheh R, Al-Ghazzi R, Barazangi M (2003) Holocene faulting and earthquake recurrence along the Serghaya Branch of the Dead Sea fault system in Syria and Lebanon. Geophys J Int 153:1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guiraud RA, Bosworth W (1999) Phanerozoic geodynamic evolution of Northeastern Africa and the Northwestern Arabian platform. Tectonophysics 315:73–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutenberg B, Richter CF (1944) Frequency of earthquakes in California. Bull Seismol Soc Am 34:185–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Hassib GH (1990) A study of focal mechanism for recent earthquakes in Egypt and their tectonic implication. M.Sc. dissertation, Assiut University, Egypt

  • Hassoup A, Tealab A (2000) Attenuation of intensity in the northern part of Egypt associated with the May 28, 1998 Mediterranean earthquake. Acta Geophys Pol 48:79–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Heidbach O, Ben-Avraham Z (2007) Stress evolution and seismic hazard of the Dead Sea fault system. Earth Planet Sci Lett 257:299–312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heimann A (1990) The development of the Dead Sea rift and its margins in Northern Israel in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. PhD. dissertation, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

  • Hofstetter A, Thio HK, Shamir G (2003) Source mechanism of the 22/11/1995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquake and its aftershock sequence. J Seismol 7:99–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang P, Soloman S (1987) Centroid depth and mechanisms of mid-ocean ridge. J Geol Res 92:1361–1383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hussein IM, Abd-Allah AM (2001) Tectonic evolution of the northeastern part of the African continental margin, Egypt. J Afr Earth Sci 33:49–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hussein HM, Abou Elenean KM, Marzouk IA, Korrat IM, Abu El-Nader IF, Ghazala H, El-Gabry MN (2013) Present-day tectonic stress regime in Egypt and surrounding area based on inversion of earthquake focal mechanisms. J Afr Earth Sci 81:1–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • International Seismological Centre (2011a) EHB bulletin. International Seismological Centre, Thatcham. http://www.isc.ac.uk

  • International Seismological Centre (2011b) On-line bulletin. International Seismological Centre, Thatcham. http://www.isc.ac.uk

  • Issawi B (1978) New findings on the geology of Uweinat, Gilf Kebir, Western Desert, Egypt. Ann Geol Surv Egypt 8:275–293

    Google Scholar 

  • Issawi B (1981) Geology of the south western desert of Egypt. Ann Geol Surv Egypt 2:57–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson JA, McKenzei DP (1984) Active tectonics of the Alpine Himalayan Belt between Western Turkey and Pakistan. Geophys J R Astron Soc 77:185–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kebeasy RM (1990) Seismicity. In: Said R (ed) The geology of Egypt. A.A. Balkerma, Rotterdam, pp 51–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Kebeasy RM, Maamoun M, Albert RNH (1981) Earthquake activity and earthquake risk around the Alexandria Area in Egypt. Acta Geophys Pol 29:37–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Kijko A, Singh M (2011) Statistical tools for maximum possible earthquake magnitude estimation. Acta Geophys 59:674–700

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klinger Y, Avouac J, Abou Karaki N, Dorbath L, Bourles ReyssJ (2000) Slip rate on the dead sea transform fault in Northern Araba Valley, Jordan. Geophys J Int 142:755–768

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyberis N (1988) Tectonic evolution of the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. Tectonophysics 153:209–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maamoun M, El-Khashab HM (1978) Seismic studies of the Shedwan (Red Sea) earthquake. Bull Helwan Inst Astron Geophys 171:22–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Maamoun M, Allam A, Megahed A (1984) Seismicity of Egypt. Bull Helwan Inst Astron Geophys 4:109–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Maamoun M, Megahed A, Hussein A, Marzouk I (1993) Preliminary studies on Dahshour earthquake. National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Cairo (abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahmoud Y, Masson F, Meghraoui M, Cakir Z, Alchalbi A, Yavasoglu H, Yönlü O, Daoud M, Ergintav S, Inan S (2013) Kinematic study at the junction of the East Anatolian fault and the Dead Sea fault from GPS measurements. J Geodyn 67:30–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Makris J, Rihm R (1991) Shear-controlled evolution of the Red Sea: pull-apart model. Tectonophysics 198:441–466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Makris J, Rihm R, Allam A (1988) Some geophysical aspects of the evolution and structure of the crust in Egypt. In: Greiling SE (ed) The Pan-African Belt of Northeast Africa and adjacent areas, tectonic evolution and economic aspects of a Late Proterozoic Orogen. Friedr. Vieweg and Sohn, Braunschweig, pp 345–369

  • Marco S, Agnon A, Ellenblum R, Eidekman A, Basson U, Boas A (1997) 817-year-old walls offset sinistrally 2.1 m by the Dead Sea transform, Israel. J Geodyn 24:11–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marco S, Heimann A, Rockwell KT, Agnon A (2000) Late holocene earthquake deformations in the Jordan Gorge Fault, Dead Sea Transform. In: Abstracts of Israel Geological Society annual meeting, Ma’alot, 85 p

  • Mart Y (1991) The Dead Sea rift: from continental rift to incipient ocean. Tectonophysics 197:155–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marzouk I (1988) Study of the crustal structure of Egypt deduced from deep seismic and gravity data. PhD. dissertation, Institute of Geophysics, University of Hamburg

  • McClusky S, Balassanian S, Barka A, Demir C, Ergintav S, Georgiev I, Gurkan O, Hamburger M, Hurst K, Kahle H, Kastens K, Kekelidze G, King R, Kotzev V, Lenk O, Mahmoud S, Mishin A, Nadariya M, Ouzounis A, Paradissis D, Peter Y, Prilepin M, Reilinger R, Sanli I, Seeger H, Tealeb A, Toksoz MN, Veis G (2000) Global positioning system constraints on plate kinematics and dynamics in the eastern Mediterranean and Caucasus. J Geophys Res 105:5695–5719

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie DP (1972) Active tectonics in the Mediterranean region. Geophys. J R Astron Soc 30:109–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie DP, Davies D, Molnar P (1970) Plate tectonics of the Red Sea and East Africa. Nature 226:243–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Megahed A, Dessoky MM (1988a) The Ismailia (Egypt) earthquake of January 2nd, 1987 (location, macroseismic survey, radiation pattern of first motion and its tectonic implications). In: Proceedings of the first national conference on environmental studies and research, Ain Shams University, Egypt

  • Megahed A, Dessoky MM (1988b) The Ismailia (Egypt) earthquake of January 2nd, 1987 (location, macroseismic survey, radiation pattern of first motion and its tectonic implications). In: Proceedings of the first national conference on environmental studies and research, Ain Shams University, Egypt

  • Meshref W (1990) Tectonic Framework. In: Said R (ed) The geology of Egypt. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 113–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Meulenkamp JE, Wortel MJR, Van Wamel WA, Spakman W, Hoogerduyn Strating E (1988) On the Hellenic subduction zone and the geodynamic evolution of Crete since the late Middle Miocene. Tectonophysics 146:203–215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohamed AA, El-Hadidy M, Deif A, Abou Elenean KM (2012) Seismic hazard studies in Egypt. NRIAG J Geophys 1:119–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mousa HH (1989) Earthquake activity in Egypt and adjacent regions and its relation to the geotectonic features. M.Sc. dissertation, Mansoura University, Egypt

  • Moustafa AM (1976) Block faulting in the Gulf of Suez. In: Proceedings of the 5th conference on Egyptian general petroleum corporation exploration seminar, Cairo, Egypt, 35 p

  • Moustafa AR (1996) Internal Structure and deformation of an accommodation zone in the northern part of the Suez Rift. J Struct Geol 18:93–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moustafa AR, Fouda HG (1988) Gebel Sufr El Dara accommodation zone, southwestern part of the Suez rift. Middle East Research Center, Ain Shams University, Cairo, earth science series no. 2, pp 227–239

  • Moustafa AR, Khalil MH (1994) Rejuvenation of the eastern Mediterranean passive continental margin in northern and central Sinai: new data from the Themed Fault. Geol Mag 131:435–448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moustafa AR, Khalil MH (1995) Superposed deformation in the northern Suez Rift, Egypt: relevance to hydrocarbon exploration. J Petrol Geol 18:245–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neev D (1975) Tectonic evolution of the Middle East and the Levantine Basin (easternmost Mediterranean). Geology 3:683–686

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Papazachos BC, Comninakis PE (1971) Geophysical and tectonic features of the Aegean arc. J Geophys Res 76:8517–8533

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Papazachos BC, Papaioannou CA (1999) Lithospheric boundaries and plate motions in the Cyprus area. Tectonophysics 308:193–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Papazachos BC, Papadimitriou EE, Karakostas BG, Karakaisis GF (1985) Long-term prediction of great intermediate-depth earthquakes in Greece. In: Proceedings of the 12th regional seminar on earthquake engineering, EAEE-EPPO, Halkidiki, pp 1–12

  • Papiouannou ChA (2001) A model for the shallow and intermediate-depth seismic sources in the eastern Mediterranean region. Bull Geofis 42:57–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Papiouannou ChA, Papazachos BC (2000) Time-independent and time-dependent seismic hazard in Greece based on seismogenic sources. Bull Seismol Soc Am 90:22–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PDE (Preliminary Determination of Epicentre) USGS National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) online bulletin. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/. Accessed July 2014

  • Philobbos ER, Riad S, Omran AA, Othman AB (2000) Stages of fracture development controlling the evolution of the Nile Valley in Egypt. Egypt J Geol 44:503–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinar A, Türkelli N (1997) Source inversion of the 1993 and 1995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquakes. Tectonophysics 283:279–288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pollastro RM (2003) Total petroleum systems of the Paleozoic and Jurassic, Greater Ghawar Uplift and adjoining provinces of Central Saudi Arabia and Northern Arabian–Persian Gulf. US Geological Survey Bulletin no. 2202-H. US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey

  • Pondrelli S, Morelli A, Ekström G, Mazza S, Boschi E, Dziewonski AM (2002) European-Mediterranean regional centroid moment tensors: 1997–2000. Phys Earth Planet Inter 130:71–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pondrelli S, Morelli A, Ekström G (2004) European-Mediterranean regional centroid moment tensor catalog: solutions for years 2001 and 2002. Phys Earth Planet Inter 145(1):127–147

  • Pondrelli S, Salimbeni S, Ekström G, Morelli A, Gasperini P, Vannucci G (2006) The Italian CMT dataset from 1977 to the present. Phys Earth Planet Inter 159:286–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pondrelli S, Salimbeni S, Morelli A, Ekström G, Boschi E (2007) European-Mediterranean regional centroid moment tensor catalog: solutions for years 2003 and 2004. Phys Earth Planet Inter 164(1):90–112

  • Pondrelli S, Salimbeni S, Morelli A, Ekström G, Postpischl L, Vannucci G et al (2011) European-Mediterranean regional centroid moment tensor catalog: solutions for 2005–2008. Phys Earth Planet Inter 185:74–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reches Z, Hoexter DF (1981) Holocene seismic activity in the Dead Sea Area. Tectonophysics 80:235–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riad S (1977) Shear zones in north Egypt interpreted from gravity data. Geophysics 24:1207–1214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riad S, Hosney H (1992) Fault plane solution for the Gilf Kebir earthquake and the tectonics of the southern part of the western desert of Egypt. Ann Geol Surv Egypt 18:239–248

    Google Scholar 

  • Riad S, Ghalib M, El-Difrawy MA, Gamal M (2000) Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in Egypt. Ann Geol Surv Egypt 23:851–881

    Google Scholar 

  • Robson D (1971) The structure of the Gulf of Suez (Clysmic) rift with special reference to the eastern side. Geol Soc Lond 115:247–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robson DS, Whitlock JH (1964) Estimation of a truncation point. Biometrika 51:33–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roeser HA (1975) A Detailed magnetic survey of the southern Red Sea. Geol Jahrb 13:131–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Said R (1990) The geology of Egypt. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Salamon A, Hofstetter A, Garfunkel Z, Ron H (1996) Seismicity of the eastern Mediterranean region: perspective from the Sinai subplate. Tectonophysics 263:293–305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salamon A, Hofstetter A, Garfunkel Z, Ron H (2003) Seismotectonics of the Sinai subplate—the eastern Mediterranean region. Geophys J Int 155:149–173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sandford KS (1934) Paleolithic man and the Nile Valley in upper and middle Egypt. Chicago University Oriental Institute publications no. 18, Chicago, pp 1–131

  • Sawires R, Ibrahim HA, Fat-Helbary RE, Peláez JA (2014) A seismological database for egypt including updated seismic and focal mechanism catalogues. In: 8th Spanish–Portuguese assembly of geodesy and geophysics, 29–31 January, Évora, Portugal

  • Sawires R, Peláez JA, Fat-Helbary RE, Ibrahim HA, García-Hernández MT (2015) An updated seismic source model for Egypt. In: Moustafa A (ed) Earthquake engineering—from engineering seismology to optimal seismic design of engineering structures. InTech, Croatia, pp 1–51

  • Schlumberger (1984) Geology of Egypt. In: Paper presented at the well evaluation conference, Schlumberger, Cairo

  • Searle RC, Ross DA (1975) A geophysical study of the Red sea axial trough between 20.58°N and 22.8°N. Geophys J R Astron Soc 43:555–572

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sestini G (1984) Tectonic and sedimentary history of NE African margin (Egypt/Libya). In: Dixon JE, Robertson AHF (eds) The geological evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 161–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Shamir G, Bartov A, Fleischer L, Arad V, Rosensaft M (2001) Preliminary seismic zonation. Geological survey of Israel. Report no. GSI/12/2001, Geophysical Institute of Israel report no. GII 550/95/01/(1)

  • Shapira A, Jarradat M (1995) Earthquake risk and loss assessment in Aqaba and Eilat regions. Submitted to the US Aid-Merc program. The institute for petroleum research and geophysics, Israel

  • SHARE (Seismic Hazard Harmonization in Europe) (2013). http://www.share-eu.org/. Accessed July 2014

  • Shata A (1959) Structural development of the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt). In: Proceedings of the 20th international geological congress conference, 1956, Mexico, pp 225–249

  • Sobaih ME, Kebeasy RM, Ahmed KA (1992) Development of seismic hazard maps for Egypt. Int J Earthq Eng 2:33–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein S, Wysession M (2003) An introduction to seismology, earthquakes, and earth structure. Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinitz G, Bartov Y, Hunziker JC (1978) K–Ar age determinations of some Miocene–Pliocene Basalts in Israel: their significance to the tectonics of the Rift Valley. Geol Mag 115:329–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern RJ, Hedge CE (1985) Geochronologic and isotopic constraints on Late Precambrian crustal evolution in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. Am J Sci 285:97–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Talwani P, Rajendran K (1991) Some seismological and geometric features of intraplate earthquakes. Seismol Res Lett 59:305–310

    Google Scholar 

  • WCC (Woodward Clyde Consultants) (1985) Earthquake activity and stability evaluation for the Aswan High Dam. Unpublished report, High and Aswan Dam Authority, Ministry of Irrigation, Egypt

  • Westaway R (1994) Present-day kinematics of the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean. J Geophys Res 99:12071–12090

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woessner J, Giardini D, the SHARE Consortium (2012) Seismic hazard estimates for the Euro-Mediterranean Region: a community-based probabilistic seismic hazard assessment. In: Proceedings of the 15th world conference of earthquake engineering, Lisbon, Portugal

  • Younes AI, McClay K (2002) Development of accommodation zones in the Gulf of Suez–Red Sea Rift, Egypt. AAPG Bull 86:1003–1026

    Google Scholar 

  • Youssef MI (1968) Structural pattern of Egypt and its interpretation. AAPG Bull 53:601–614

    Google Scholar 

  • Ziegler MA (2001) Late Permian–Holocene paleofacies evolution of the Arabian plate and its hydrocarbon occurrences. GeoArabia 6:445–504

    Google Scholar 

  • ZUR-RMT: Zurich Moment Tensor. Swiss Seismological Service. ETH Zurich. Accessed July 2014

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Dr. L. Matias and an anonymous reviewer for their valuable comments and suggestions. This research work is supported by the Egyptian Ministry of the Higher Education (Cultural Affairs and Missions Sector, Cairo), the Aswan Regional Earthquake Research Center and the Spanish Seismic Hazard and Active Tectonics research group.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt

    R. Sawires & H. A. Ibrahim

  2. Department of Physics, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain

    R. Sawires, J. A. Peláez & J. Henares

  3. Aswan Regional Earthquake Research Center, Aswan, Egypt

    R. E. Fat-Helbary

  4. Département Études et Surveillance Sismique, CRAAG, Algiers, Algeria

    M. Hamdache

Authors
  1. R. Sawires
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. A. Peláez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. A. Ibrahim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. E. Fat-Helbary
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. Henares
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M. Hamdache
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Sawires.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sawires, R., Peláez, J.A., Ibrahim, H.A. et al. Delineation and characterization of a new seismic source model for seismic hazard studies in Egypt. Nat Hazards 80, 1823–1864 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-015-2034-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-015-2034-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation