We report here the fluctuation-induced excess conductivity in RBaSrCu3O7-δ (R=Y, Gd, Nd, and La) superconductor. It is found that Y and Gd samples are orthorhombic, while the Nd and La samples are quasi-tetragonal. The oxygen content is found to be close to 7 for all R:1113 samples. The logarithmic plots of Δσ and reduced temperature Є reveal two different exponents corresponding to crossover temperature due to shifting the order parameter from (2D/1D) to (3D).The critical temperature, mean field temperature, crossover temperature, out of plane coherence length, and interlayer coupling are decreased as the ionic size increases. While the in plane and effective coherence lengths, and anisotropy are increased.We have also estimated several physical parameters such as upper critical magnetic fields in both a-b- and c-axis (Bab and BC), and critical current density J (0 K), and their values are found to be decrease as the ionic size increases. The results are discussed in terms of oxygen rearrangement, localization of carriers, coherence lengths, and anisotropy which are produced as the ionic size increases.

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Seismic hazard in terms of peak ground acceleration and spectral acceleration values, have been computed for the first time in Egypt using both historical and instrumental earthquake data. For this purpose, an updated and unified earthquake catalogue, spanning the time period from 2200 B.C. to 2013, has been prepared for Egypt and its surrounding region. Moreover, new seismic source model includes the seismic activity in and around Egypt, consisting of a total of 88 seismic zones (for shallow- and intermediate-depth seismicity) has been considered in the current assessment. The seismicity parameters (b-value, activity rate, and maximum expected magnitude) have been computed for the delineated seismic sources. Six well-known ground motion prediction equations were selected to model the ground motion attenuation for the different tectonic environments in Egypt. A logic tree design was setup, after a sensitivity analysis, to consider the epistemic uncertainty in the Gutenberg-Richter b-value, maximum possible magnitude, and the selected ground motion prediction equations. Seismic hazard computations, for both rock and stiff soil site conditions, with 39.3%, 10% and 5% probability of exceedance in 50 years (return periods of 100, 475 and 975 years, respectively) were performed. Thus, both PGA values for all the territory and uniform hazard spectra for selected cities among the most important and populated ones in Egypt, were computed and compared with those values considered in the most recent Egyptian building code. From the seismic hazard maps, as well as the uniform hazard spectra, it can be noticed that the maximum hazard values are observed at Nuweiba (Gulf of Aqaba), specifically around the epicentral location of the biggest earthquake event located in Egypt since 1900 until now, the November 22, 1995 (MW 7.2) Gulf of Aqaba earthquake. The PGA values, for rock site, for Nuweiba are 0.16, 0.29 and 0.38 g, and for Cairo are 0.06, 0.13 and 0.18 g, for return periods of 100, 475 and 975 years, respectively. While, the maximum seismic hazard values for Nuweiba and Cairo are observed at natural period of 0.1 sec, which equal to 0.16, 0.74 g and 0.98 g (for Nuweiba), and equal to 0.15, 0.32 and 0.44 g (for Cairo), for return periods of 100, 475 and 975 years, respectively.

Seismic hazard in terms of peak ground acceleration and spectral acceleration values, have been computed for the first time in Egypt using both historical and instrumental earthquake data. For this purpose, an updated and unified earthquake catalogue, spanning the time period from 2200 B.C. to 2013, has been prepared for Egypt and its surrounding region. Moreover, new seismic source model includes the seismic activity in and around Egypt, consisting of a total of 88 seismic zones (for shallow- and intermediate-depth seismicity) has been considered in the current assessment. The seismicity parameters (b-value, activity rate, and maximum expected magnitude) have been computed for the delineated seismic sources. Six well-known ground motion prediction equations were selected to model the ground motion attenuation for the different tectonic environments in Egypt. A logic tree design was setup, after a sensitivity analysis, to consider the epistemic uncertainty in the Gutenberg-Richter b-value, maximum possible magnitude, and the selected ground motion prediction equations. Seismic hazard computations, for both rock and stiff soil site conditions, with 39.3%, 10% and 5% probability of exceedance in 50 years (return periods of 100, 475 and 975 years, respectively) were performed. Thus, both PGA values for all the territory and uniform hazard spectra for selected cities among the most important and populated ones in Egypt, were computed and compared with those values considered in the most recent Egyptian building code. From the seismic hazard maps, as well as the uniform hazard spectra, it can be noticed that the maximum hazard values are observed at Nuweiba (Gulf of Aqaba), specifically around the epicentral location of the biggest earthquake event located in Egypt since 1900 until now, the November 22, 1995 (MW 7.2) Gulf of Aqaba earthquake. The PGA values, for rock site, for Nuweiba are 0.16, 0.29 and 0.38 g, and for Cairo are 0.06, 0.13 and 0.18 g, for return periods of 100, 475 and 975 years, respectively. While, the maximum seismic hazard values for Nuweiba and Cairo are observed at natural period of 0.1 sec, which equal to 0.16, 0.74 g and 0.98 g (for Nuweiba), and equal to 0.15, 0.32 and 0.44 g (for Cairo), for return periods of 100, 475 and 975 years, respectively.

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. The definition of this model includes not only the seismicity data but incorporates all available geological and geophysical data, in an attempt to define areas which show not only a homogeneous seismicity release, but also exhibit similar seismic and seismotectonic characteristics. For this reason, an updated and unified earthquake catalogue (2200 B.C.- 2013), was compiled and employed in the current study. Data were obtained from different sources, local, regional and international (e.g., the regional catalogue of Ambraseys et al., 1994; the International Seismological Center (ISC) and the annual bulletin of the Egyptian National Seismological Network). The initial compilation spanning a region from 21° to 38°N and from 22° to 38°E, and includes all the events having an assigned magnitude of 3.0 and above for international sources and any magnitude value for local sources on any magnitude scale. Earthquake magnitudes are reported in different scales and come from a variety of sources. For establishing a common magnitude, namely an equivalent moment magnitude (MW), two new relationships correlating surface-wave (MS) and body-wave (mb) magnitudes with MW were specifically derived. All non-Poissonian (dependent) events were removed using the Gardner and Knopoff (1974) approach. A total of 16642 events represent the final Poissonian catalogue with a magnitude above or equal to MW 3.0. The proposed seismic source model comprises 28 seismic sources including the shallow seismicity (h ≤ 35 km) for the Egyptian territory and its surroundings. In addition, for the Mediterranean region, we proposed the shallow seismic source zones (h ≤ 20 km), used in the SHARE (2013) project for estimating the seismic hazard for Europe. Furthermore, to cover the intermediate-depth seismicity (20 ≤ h ≤ 100 km), 7 intermediate-depth seismic source zones have been 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. Several seismicity parameters (b-value, activity rate and maximum expected magnitude) have been computed for each source. In addition, the predominant focal mechanism solution was assigned in each source zone using the stress field inversion approach. This characterization of the seismic sources represents the main input for the seismic hazard assessment studies.

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. The definition of this model includes not only the seismicity data but incorporates all available geological and geophysical data, in an attempt to define areas which show not only a homogeneous seismicity release, but also exhibit similar seismic and seismotectonic characteristics. For this reason, an updated and unified earthquake catalogue (2200 B.C.- 2013), was compiled and employed in the current study. Data were obtained from different sources, local, regional and international (e.g., the regional catalogue of Ambraseys et al., 1994; the International Seismological Center (ISC) and the annual bulletin of the Egyptian National Seismological Network). The initial compilation spanning a region from 21° to 38°N and from 22° to 38°E, and includes all the events having an assigned magnitude of 3.0 and above for international sources and any magnitude value for local sources on any magnitude scale. Earthquake magnitudes are reported in different scales and come from a variety of sources. For establishing a common magnitude, namely an equivalent moment magnitude (MW), two new relationships correlating surface-wave (MS) and body-wave (mb) magnitudes with MW were specifically derived. All non-Poissonian (dependent) events were removed using the Gardner and Knopoff (1974) approach. A total of 16642 events represent the final Poissonian catalogue with a magnitude above or equal to MW 3.0. The proposed seismic source model comprises 28 seismic sources including the shallow seismicity (h ≤ 35 km) for the Egyptian territory and its surroundings. In addition, for the Mediterranean region, we proposed the shallow seismic source zones (h ≤ 20 km), used in the SHARE (2013) project for estimating the seismic hazard for Europe. Furthermore, to cover the intermediate-depth seismicity (20 ≤ h ≤ 100 km), 7 intermediate-depth seismic source zones have been 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. Several seismicity parameters (b-value, activity rate and maximum expected magnitude) have been computed for each source. In addition, the predominant focal mechanism solution was assigned in each source zone using the stress field inversion approach. This characterization of the seismic sources represents the main input for the seismic hazard assessment studies.