Ground zero

In terms of nuclear explosions and other large bombs, the term ground zero (sometimes also known as surface zero as distinguished from zero point) describes the point on the Earth's surface closest to a detonation. In the case of an explosion above the ground, ground zero refers to the point on the ground directly below the nuclear detonation and is sometimes called the hypocenter. Generally, it is also used in relation to earthquakes, epidemics, and other disasters to mark the point of the most severe damage or destruction.

Pearl Harbor

On December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan carried out a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the headquarters of the United States Pacific Fleet in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time of the attack, the U.S. and Japan were not officially at war and were still negotiating for a possible peace treaty. The event was described as ground zero due to the catastrophic damage inflicted upon the fleet and facilities within the naval base and other areas, as well as the nature surrounding the attack. The attack started at 7:55 am with 353 Japanese planes and lasted for 110 minutes. The most famous example of ground zero was Turret II of the USS Arizona, when an armor-piercing bomb penetrated through that turret towards the forward ammunition compartment which blew the ship apart and sunk it within seconds, killing 1,177 out of the 1,512 people on board. Hickam Field was also described as ground zero due to the devastation the Japanese caused to the airfield, killing 189 people and destroying many aircraft on the ground. In total, 2,467 people were killed in the attack, including 2,403 victims and 64 attackers, and eight battleships and 217 aircraft (including 19 from the attackers) were destroyed, making it the largest peacetime loss of life and property on American soil.

Ground zero (disambiguation)

Ground zero describes the point on the Earth's surface closest to a nuclear detonation. In the case of an explosion above the ground, ground zero refers to the point on the ground directly below the nuclear detonation (see hypocenter).

Ground zero may also refer to:

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Metal Church

Metal Church is an American heavy metal band. They originally formed in San Francisco, California in 1980 before relocating to Aberdeen, Washington the following year and briefly using the name Shrapnel. Their eponymous debut album was released in 1984, and their latest, XI, is due for release in 2016.

The band is credited as a formative influence on the thrash metal subgenre, melding the aesthetics of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and American hard rock with "incredibly tight musicianship" and "piercingly screeched" vocals. Early lyrical topics such as conflict and paranoia later expanded into philosophical and social commentary.

Founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof remained the group's sole consistent creative force throughout its career, despite reducing his role strictly to composition in 1986 after tiring of performing. Vanderhoof, vocalist David Wayne, guitarist Craig Wells, bassist Duke Erickson, and drummer Kirk Arrington composed the group's classic lineup featured on its first two records, while vocalist Mike Howe and guitarist John Marshall later contributed to the group's sound. After releasing five full-length albums and touring extensively throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Metal Church disbanded in 1994. They reformed four years later with their classic lineup, including Vanderhoof's return to performance, yielding the Masterpeace album. They endured numerous lineup changes thereafter, releasing three further studio albums while fronted by Ronny Munroe before again disbanding in July 2009. The group once again reunited in October 2012 and released Generation Nothing a year later. Following Munroe's departure in the fall of 2014, Howe rejoined Metal Church in April 2015 at Vanderhoof's request, and recorded their upcoming eleventh studio album XI.