Application of the extreme magnitude distributions to incomplete earthquake files

The maximum-likelihood estimation of earthquake hazard parameters [maximum-regional magnitude ( M max), activity rate (λ), and b parameter in the Gutenberg-Richter relation] is applied to extreme magnitude distribution, when the extreme magnitudes are taken from not necessarily equal time intervals. As an example, the derived procedures were applied to a set of the largest earthquakes felt in Egypt. The set contain the largest magnitudes from various time intervals (from a 500- to 1-yr duration) for the period from 800 B.C. to 1984 A.D.