Etymology.

Earlier known as the Periyaru Dam as it was basically meant to dam the Periyaru river, the present name "Mullaperiyar" is derived by vaguely blending the names of Mullayar River and Periyaru River, at the confluence of which the dam is located below.

Purpose.

The Periyaru river which flows westward of Kerala in to the Arabian sea was diverted eastwards to flow towards the Bay of Bengal to provide water to the arid rain shadow region of Madurai in Madras Presidency which was in dire need of a greater supply of water than the small Vaigai River could provide. The dam created the Periyar Thekkady reservoir, from which water was diverted eastwards via a tunnel to augment the small flow of the Vaigai River. The Vaigai was dammed by the Vaigai Dam to provide a source for irrigating large tracts around Madurai. Initially the dam waters were used only for the irrigation of.  Currently, the water from the Periyaru (Thekkady) Lake created by the dam, is diverted through the water shed cutting and a tunnel to Forebay Dam near Kumily (Iraichalpalam). From the Forebay dam, hydel pipe lines carry the water to the Periyar Power Station in Lower Periyaru. This is used for power generation (180 MW capacity) in the Periyar Power Station. From the Periyar Power Station, the water is let out into Vairavanar river and then to Suruliyar and from Suruliyar to Vaigai Dam.

Design.

The Mullaperiyar Dam is a gravity dam made with concrete prepared from limestone and "surkhi" (burnt brick powder), and faced with rubble. Gravity dams use their weight and the force of gravity to support the reservoir and remain stable. The main dam has a maximum height of and length of. Its crest is wide while the base has a width of. It consists of a main dam, spillway on its left and an auxiliary dam (or "baby dam") to the right. Its reservoir can withhold of water, of which is active (live) storage.

History.

Feasibility studies.

The unique idea of harnessing the westward flowing water of the Periyar river and diverting it to the eastward flowing Vaigai river was first explored in 1789 by Pradani Muthirulappa Pillai, a minister of the Ramnad king Muthuramalinga Sethupathy, who gave it up as he found it to be expensive. The location of the dam had first been scouted by Captain J. L. Caldwell, Madras Engineers (abbreviated as M.E.) in 1808 to reconnoitre the feasibility of providing water from the Periyar river to Madurai by a tunnel through the mountains. Caldwell discovered that the excavation needed would be in excess of 100 feet in depth and the project was abandoned with the comment in his report as "decidedly chimerical and unworthy of any further regard".  The first attempt at damming the Periyaar with an earthen dam in 1850 was given up due to demands for higher wages by the labour citing unhealthy living conditions. The proposal was resubmitted a number of times and in 1862, Captain J. G. Ryves, M.E., carried out a study and submitted proposals in 1867 for another earthwork dam, 62 feet high. The matter was debated by the Madras Government and the matter further delayed by the terrible famine of 1876–77. Finally, in 1882, the construction of the dam was approved and Major John Pennycuick, M.E., placed in charge to prepare a revised project and estimate which was approved in 1884 by his superiors.

Lease.

On 29 October 1886, a lease indenture for 999 years was made between the Maharaja of Travancore, Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma and the British Secretary of State for India for Periyar Irrigation Works. The lease agreement was signed by Dewan of Travancore V Ram Iyengar and State Secretary of Madras State J C Hannington. This lease was made after 24 years negotiation between the Maharaja and the British. The lease indenture granted full right, power and liberty to the Secretary of State for India to construct make and carry out on the leased land and to use exclusively when constructed, made and carried out, all such irrigation works and other works ancillary thereto. The agreement gave 8000 acres of land for the reservoir and another 100 acres to construct the dam. The tax for each acre was 5 per year. The lease provided the British the rights over "all the waters" of the Mullaperiyar and its catchment basin, for an annual rent of 40,000.  In 1947, after Indian Independence, after British India was partitioned in 1947 into India and Pakistan, Travancore and Cochin joined the Union of India and on 1 July 1949 were merged to form Travancore-Cochin. On 1 January 1950 (Republic Day), Travancore-Cochin was recognised as a state. The Madras Presidency was organised to form Madras State in 1947.  On 1 November 1956, the state of Kerala was formed by the States Reorganisation Act merging the Malabar district, Travancore-Cochin (excluding four southern taluks, which were merged with Tamil Nadu), and the taluk of Kasargod, South Canara. The Kerala state government announced that the earlier agreement which had been signed between British Raj and Travancore agreement was invalid and needed to be renewed.  After several failed attempts to renew the agreement in 1958, 1960, and 1969, the agreement was renewed in 1970 when C Achutha Menon was Kerala Chief Minister. According to the renewed agreement, the tax per acre was increased to 30, and for the electricity generated in Lower Camp using Mullaperiyar water, the charge was 12 per kiloWatt per hour. Tamil Nadu uses the water and the land, and the Tamil Nadu government has been paying to the Kerala government for the past 50 years 2.5 lakhs as tax per year for the whole land and 7.5 lakhs per year as surcharge for the total amount of electricity generated. The validity of this agreement is under dispute between the States of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. As of 2013 the matter is pending before a Division Bench of the Supreme Court. The dispute puts into question the power of the federal government of India to make valid orders respecting Indian States, in this case regarding a watershed and dam within one state that is used exclusively in another.

Construction.

In May 1887, construction of the dam began. As per "The Military Engineer in India" Vol II by Sandes (1935), the dam was constructed from limestone and "surkhi" (burnt brick powder and a mixture of sugar and calcium oxide ) at a cost of 104 lakhs, was 173 feet high and 1241 feet in length along the top and enclosed more than 15 thousand million cubic feet of water. Another source states that the dam was constructed of concrete and gives a figure of 152 feet height of the full water level of the reservoir, with impounding capacity of 10.56 thousand million cubic feet along with a total estimated cost of 84.71 lak.  The construction involved the use of troops from the 1st and 4th battalions of the Madras Pioneers as well as Portuguese carpenters from Cochin who were employed in the construction of the coffer-dams and other structures. The greatest challenge was the diversion of the river so that lower portions of the great dam could be built. The temporary embankments and coffer-dams used to restrain the river waters were regularly swept away by floods and rains. Due to the coffer dam failures, the British stopped funding the project. Officer Pennycuick raised funds by selling his wife's jewelry to continue the work. In Madurai, Pennycuick's statue has been installed at the state PWD office and his photographs are found adorning walls in peoples homes and shops. In 2002, his great grandson was honoured in Madurai, a function that was attended by thousands of people.  The dam created a reservoir in a remote gorge of the Periyar river situated 3,000 feet above the sea in dense and malarial jungle, and from the northerly arm of this manmade waterbody, the water flowed first through a deep cutting for about a mile and then through a tunnel, 5704 feet in length and later through another cutting on the other side of the watershed and into a natural ravine and so onto the Vaigai River which has been partly built up for a length of 86 miles, finally discharging 2000 cusecs of water for the arid rain shadow regions of present-day Theni, Dindigul District, Madurai District, Sivaganga District and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu, then under British rule as part of Madras Province (Sandes, 1935).  The Periyar project, as it was then known, was widely considered well into the 20th century as "one of the most extraordinary feats of engineering ever performed by man". A large amount of manual labour was involved and worker mortality from malaria was high. It was claimed that had it not been for "the medicinal effects of the native spirit called arrack, the dam might never have been finished". 483 people died of diseases during the construction of this dam and were buried on-site in a cemetery just north of the dam.  In 2012, it was announced that a memorial dedicated to dam engineer Pennycuick would be erected at the dam site.

Protected area.

The Periyar National Park in Thekkady, a Protected area of Kerala, is located around the dam's reservoir, the Periyar lake. 62 different kinds of mammals have been recorded in Periyar, including many threatened ones. Periyar is a highly protected tiger reserve and hosts 35 tigers above two-years of age as of January 2017 in the reserve. Declared an elephant reserve on 2 April 2002, the population of Indian elephants in 2005 was estimated at 1100, however Periyar suffers greatly from poaching of elephant being the worst affected of South Indian sanctuaries.  Other mammals found here include gaur, bison, sambar (horse deer), barking deer, mouse deer, dholes (Indian wild dogs), mongoose, foxes and leopards. Four species of primates are found at Periyar – the rare lion-tailed macaque, the Nilgiri langur, the common langur, and the bonnet macaque. According to a report by the Kerala Forest Research Institute, the protected area surrounding the dam and reservoir is classified as a biodiversity hot spot.

Dam safety.

After the 1979 Morvi Dam failure which killed up to 15,000 people, safety concerns of the aging Mullaperiyar dam's and alleged leaks and cracks in the structure were raised by the Kerala Government. A study conducted by The Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS), Thiruvananthapuram, had reported that the structure would not withstand an earthquake above magnitude 6 on the Richter scale. The dam was also inspected by the Chairman, CWC (Central Water Commission). On the orders of the CWC, the Tamil Nadu government lowered the storage level from 152 feet to 142.2 feet then to 136 feet, conducted safety repairs and strengthened the dam.  Strengthening measures adopted by Tamil Nadu PWD from 1979 onwards include cable anchoring of the dam's structure and RCC backing for the front slope. During a recent scanning of the Mullaperiyar dam using a remotely operated vehicle by the Central Soil and Materials Research Station on directions from the Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court, the Kerala Government observer opined that "mistakes in the strengthening works carried out by Tamil Nadu" in 1979 damaged the masonry of the dam.  Current safety concerns relate to several issues. Since the dam was constructed using stone rubble masonry with lime mortar grouting following prevailing 19th-century construction techniques that have now become archaic, seepage and leaks from the dam have caused concern. Moreover, the dam is situated in a seismically active zone. An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale occurred on 7 June 1988 with maximum damage in Nedumkandam and Kallar (within 20 km of the dam). Subsequently, several tremors have occurred in the area in recent times. These could be reservoir-induced seismicity, requiring further studies according to experts. A 2009 report by IIT Roorkee stated that the dam "was likely to face damage if an earthquake of the magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale struck its vicinity when the water level is at 136 feet".

Justice A.S. Anand Committee (The Empowered Committee).

On 18 February 2010, the Supreme Court decided to constitute a five-member empowered committee to study all the issues of Mullaperiyar Dam and seek a report from it within six months. The Bench in its draft order said Tamil Nadu and Kerala would have the option to nominate a member each, who could be either a retired judge or a technical expert. The five-member committee will be headed by former Chief Justice of India A. S. Anand to go into all issues relating to the dam's safety and the storage level. However, the then ruling party of Tamil Nadu, DMK, passed a resolution that it not only oppose the apex court's decision to form the five-member committee, but also said that the state government will not nominate any member to it.  The then late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said that immediately after the Supreme Court announced its decision to set up a committee, he had written to Congress president asking the Centre to mediate between Kerala and Tamil Nadu on Mullaperiyar issue. However, the then Leader of Opposition i.e., the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalithaa objected to the TN Government move. She said that this would give advantage to Kerala in the issue. Meanwhile, Kerala Water Resources Minister N. K. Premachandran told the state Assembly that the State should have the right of construction, ownership, operation and maintenance of the new dam, while giving water to Tamil Nadu on the basis of a clear cut agreement. He also informed the media that former Supreme Court Judge K. T. Thomas will represent Kerala on the expert panel constituted by Supreme Court.  On 8 March 2010, Tamil Nadu told the Supreme Court that it was not interested in adjudicating the dispute with Kerala before the special "empowered" committee appointed by the apex court for settling the inter-State issue. However, Supreme Court refused to accept Tamil Nadu's request to scrap the decision to form the empowered committee. The Supreme Court also criticized the Union Government on its reluctance in funding the empowered committee.  Setting at rest the controversy over the safety of the 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam, the Empowered Committee, headed by the former Chief Justice of India A.S. Anand, has said it is "structurally and hydrologically safe, and Tamil Nadu can raise the water level from 136 to 142 feet after carrying out certain repairs."  In its report submitted to the Supreme Court on 25 April 2012, the committee is understood to have said: "The dam is seismically safe." Last year's earth tremors in that region "did not have any impact on the Mullaperiyar dam and the Idukki reservoir and there was no danger to the safety of the two dams."  In regard to the dam safety issue of Mullaperiyar between the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Hon’ble Supreme court in its order dated 7 May 2014 constituted a 3-member Supervisory Committee under Chairmanship of CWC Officer in the rank of Jt. Secretary to the Centre, The Additional Chief Secretary, WRD, Govt of Kerala and Principal Secretary, PWD, Govt of Tamil Nadu are the members of the Committee.  It was decided to constitute a Supervisory Sub Committee to scrutinize all data for close monitoring of the safety of the dam in 2nd Supervisory committee meeting. The Supervisory Sub-Committee brings to the notice of the supervisory committee urgent issues, if any. The Supervisory Sub-Committee is headed by CWC Officer in the rank of Deputy Director. The members of the Sub-Committee are from both the member states  Incumbency of Chairman, Supervisory Sub Committee on Mullaperiyar Dam:  Present: M. S. Saravana Kumar, Dy. Director (from Indian Engineering Service) (4th Chairman of Supervisory Sub Committee on Mullaperiyar Dam) (ex-officio)  Past: 1. Harish Grish Umbarje,Dy. Director (from Indian Engineering Service) (1st Chairman of Supervisory Sub Committee on Mullaperiyar Dam) (by name)  2. D. Ashokan, Dy. Director (from Indian Engineering Service) (2nd Chairman of Supervisory Sub Committee on Mullaperiyar Dam) (by name)

Interstate dispute.

The control and safety of the dam and the validity and fairness of the lease agreement have been points of dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu states. Supreme court judgment came on 27 February 2006, allowing Tamil Nadu to raise the level of the dam to after strengthening it. Responding to it, Mullaperiyaru dam was declared an 'endangered' scheduled dam by the Kerala Government under the disputed Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2006.  For Tamil Nadu, the Mullaperiyar dam and the diverted Periyaru waters act as a lifeline for Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga and Ramnad districts, providing water for irrigation and drinking, and also for generation of power in Lower Periyaru Power Station. Tamil Nadu has insisted on exercising the unfettered colonial rights to control the dam and its waters, based on the 1886 lease agreement.  Kerala has pointed out the unfairness in the 1886 lease agreement and has challenged its validity. However, safety concerns posed by the 119-year-old dam to the safety of the people of Kerala in the event of a dam collapse, have been the focus of disputes from 2009 onwards. Kerala's proposal for decommissioning the dam and constructing a new one has been challenged by Tamil Nadu.  Tamil Nadu argues that building a new dam is for gaining unfair tax revenues from developing states, which is a qua within India, to the detriment of the revenue producing states, i.e., a form of wealth distribution. It is a microcosm of the bigger problem that India faces with China, which is building dams on Brahmaputra.  Tamil Nadu has insisted on raising the water level in the dam to 142 feet, pointing out crop failures. However, the court has clarified Tamil Nadu is not a riparian state. In the process the farmers of the erstwhile rain shadow areas in Tamil Nadu who had started a thrice yearly cropping pattern had to go back to the bi-annual cropping."  The Kerala Government maintains that this is not true. During the year 1979–80 the gross area cultivated in Periyar command area was. After the lowering of the level to, the gross irrigated area increased and in 1994–95 it reached. The Tamil Nadu government had increased its withdrawal from the reservoir, with additional facilities to cater to the increased demand from newly irrigated areas.  In 2006, the Supreme Court of India by its decision by a three-member division bench, allowed for the storage level to be raised to pending completion of the proposed strengthening measures, provision of other additional vents and implementation of other suggestions.  However, the Kerala Government promulgated a new "Dam Safety Act" against increasing the storage level of the dam, which has been challenged by Tamil Nadu on various grounds. The Supreme Court issued notice to Kerala to respond, however did not stay the operation of the Act even as an interim measure. The Court then advised the States to settle the matter amicably, and adjourned hearing in order to enable them to do so. The Supreme Court of India termed the act as not unconstitutional. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court constituted a Constitution bench to hear the case considering its wide ramifications.  The Kerala Government states that it does not object to giving water to Tamil Nadu as a shared commodity, their main cause of objection being the dam's safety as it is 116 years old. Increasing the level would add more pressure to be handled by the already leaking dam. They also raised the problematic definition of inter-State river when in its entirety the river goes into the sea within Kerala without passing through any other states. They also raised the complexity of the judgment and disputes that it can raise in other states that have small catchments of other-State rivers and right to claim part of waters.  In a 2000 "Frontline" edition, one author stated thus: "For every argument raised by Tamil Nadu in support of its claims, there is counter-argument in Kerala that appears equally plausible. Yet, each time the controversy gets embroiled in extraneous issues, two things stand out: One is Kerala's refusal to acknowledge the genuine need of the farmers in the otherwise drought-prone regions of Tamil Nadu for the waters of the Mullaperiyar; the other is Tamil Nadu's refusal to see that it cannot rely on or continue to expect more and more from the resources of another State to satisfy its own requirements to the detriment of the other State. A solution perhaps lies in acknowledging the two truths, but neither government can afford the political repercussions of such a confession". Tamil Nadu wants the 2006 order of Supreme court be implemented so as to increase the water level to.  In May 2014, Supreme Court of India declared Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2006 as unconstitutional. The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down the law passed by the Kerala Assembly on the Mullaperiyar Dam that said that the water level cannot be increased beyond 136 feet. The court has ruled that Tamil Nadu can increase the water level to 142 feet and constituted a permanent Supervisory Committee consisting of three members one member from the Central Water Commission of The Water Resource Ministry who will act as the chairman of the Supervisory Committee and two other members from the respective states. The Supervisory will also have a Sub Committee under it.  The powers and functions of the Supervisory Committee shall be as follows:  (i) The Committee shall supervise the restoration of FRL in the Mullaperiyar dam to the elevation of 142 ft.  (ii) The Committee shall inspect the dam periodically, more particularly immediately before the monsoon and after the monsoon and keep close watch on its safety and recommend measures which are necessary. Such measures shall be carried out by Tamil Nadu.  (iii) The Committee shall be free to take appropriate steps and issue necessary directions to the two States Tamil Nadu and Kerala or any of them if so required for the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam in an emergent situation. Such direction shall be obeyed by all concerned.  (iv) The Committee shall permit Tamil Nadu to carry out further precautionary measures that may become necessary upon its periodic inspection of the dam in accordance with the guidelines of the Central Water Commission and Dam Safety Organisation.  On 20 February 2015 Kerala Government Withdraws a plea seeking clarification on 5 May 2014 Judgement which the apex court had allowed the raising the water storage level of the dam to 142 feet and go before the three-member Mullaperiyar committee. The apex court had also rejected the plea for giving open court hearing and said there was no reason to interfere with the judgement of its five-judge Constitution Bench.  In an application, the Tamil Nadu government said Kerala has defied the Supreme Court's judgments in "letter and spirit". Without mincing words, it accused the Kerala government of harassment by denying Tamil Nadu officials free entry to carry out routine periodical maintenance and repairs of the dam. The application wants the Supreme Court to direct Kerala government to allow free access to Tamil Nadu officials to the dam and its appurtenant structures to collect data and change the weekly chart in the Mullakodi rainfall station. It said the court should direct Kerala to allow Tamil Nadu to transport the machinery and materials required for carrying out repairs.

Proposal to construct a new dam.

Kerala enacted the "Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2006" to ensure safety of all 'endangered' dams in the State, listed in the second schedule to the Act. Section 62A of the Act provides for listing in the schedule, "details of the dams which are endangered on account of their age, degeneration, degradation, structural or other impediments as are specified". The second schedule to the Act lists Mullaperiyar (dam) constructed in 1895 and fixes 136 feet as its maximum water level. The Act empowers "Kerala Dam Safety Authority" (Authority specified in the Act) to oversee safety of dams in the State and sec 62(e) empowers the Authority to direct the custodian (of a dam) "to suspend the functioning of any dam, to decommission any dam or restrict the functioning of any dam if public safety or threat to human life or property, so require". The Authority can conduct periodical inspection of any dam listed in the schedule.  In pursuance of Kerala's dam safety law declaring Mullaiperiyar dam as an endangered dam, in September 2009, the Ministry of Environment and Forests of Government of India granted environmental clearance to Kerala for conducting survey for new dam downstream. Tamil Nadu approached Supreme Court for a stay order against the clearance; however, the plea was rejected. Consequently, the survey was started in October 2009.  On 9 September 2009 Govt. of Tamil Nadu stated that there is no need for construction of a new dam by the Kerala Government, as the existing dam after it is strengthened might function like a new dam.  In May 2014, the Supreme Court of India ruled that the water level in the dam could be increased to 136 ft. It also struck down an 2006 amendment included in the Kerala Irrigation Water Conservation Act 2003 that deemed certain fixed water level for old dams.

Mullaperiyar Dam is a masonry gravity dam on the Periyar River in the Indian state of Kerala It is located above mean sea level, on the Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats in Thekkady, Idukki District of Kerala, South India. It was constructed between 1887 and 1895 by John Pennycuick and also reached in an agreement to divert water eastwards to the Madras Presidency area (present-day Tamil Nadu). It has a height of from the foundation, and a length of. The Periyar National Park in Thekkady is located around the dam's reservoir. The dam is built at the confluence of Mullayar and Periyar rivers. The dam is located in Kerala on the river Periyar, but is operated and maintained by the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. Although the Periyar River has a total catchment area of 5398 km with 114 km downstream from the dam in Tamil Nadu, the catchment area of the Mullaperiyar Dam itself lies entirely in Kerala and thus not an inter-State river. However, by the principle of estoppel it is considered otherwise. On 21 November 2014, the water level hit 142 feet for first time in 35 years. The reservoir again hit the maximum limit of 142 feet on 15 August 2018, following incessant rains in the state of Kerala.

Le barrage de Mullaperiyar est un barrage d'irrigation situé sur le bassin amont du fleuve Periyar au Kerala, en Inde du sud. Sa retenue forme le lac-réservoir Periyar, situé dans le Parc national de Periyar (ou Thekkady).


Layout and Architecture.

The layout reminds of Persian “four Iwan” designs, such as the Great Mosque of Esfahan in Iran. The Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan in Cairo in Egypt may have served as model for the minaret and other features such as the decoration of the attic.  The mosque itself is rectangular, almost square, with a rectangular court built somewhat offset to the west. Four iwans open to the central court. The iwans are not emphasized as individual structures as in the Persian examples but are mere openings in a large screen wall. The north and south iwans are each set in front of a domed hall that separate four pillared halls to the east and west. The west halls are divided by two pillars each into three naves with to bays. The larger east halls have three naves with five bays and eight pillars each. The east iwan is the largest and connects the court to the largest domed hall that rises between the longer pillared halls in front of the qibla wall. Irregularly shaped rooms fill the triangular spaces between the actual mosque and the outside facade on the north, south and east wall because the mosque is built at an angle to the street grid so that the qibla wall may point to Makkah. The west facade opens to the Medinah Road with a large cubic structure added to the northern end. The minaret of the mosque towers over the south west corner of this structure that has a large iwan opening to the south leading into a domed hall that connects to a corridor that runs along the west wall of the mosque. This large Iwan with the minaret on the left and the mosque connecting at a right angle to the right, both accessible by a flight of steps, form an iconic group that easily catches the eye when looking north along the Medinah road.

His Majesty King Saud Mosque is the largest mosque in the city of Jeddah and is located in Jeddah's Al-Sharafeyyah District.

La mosquée du roi Saoud est la plus grande mosquée de Djeddah. Elle a été conçue par Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil, un architecte égyptien et a été achevée en 1987. elle est construite en briques et couvre une superficie de avec la salle de prière seul couvrant. Le plus grand dôme a une portée de 20 mètres et atteint une hauteur de 42 mètres. Le minaret culmine à 60 mètres


Personal lives.

Nicci Gerrard and Sean French were married in 1990. Since 1999 they have lived in Suffolk in East Anglia, England. Both have studied english literature at Oxford University. The couple has two daughters, Hadley and Molly, and Gerrard has two children from her first marriage, Edgar and Anna.

Biography.

Nicci Gerrard.

Nicola 'Nicci' Gerrard was born on 10 June 1958. She grew up in Worcestershire, together with her two sisters and her brother.  She was educated at The Alice Ottley School in Worcester. She then studied English literature at Oxford University and then an MPhil at Sheffield University in 1986. She went on to teach literature in Los Angeles and London. She founded a women's magazine before becoming a freelance journalist. During that time she married and had two children. Following the failure of this first marriage, she met Sean French whilst working as editor for the "New Statesman" where French wrote a weekly column, but left when she was offered another job at "The Observer".  In November 2014 her father John Gerrard died, his dementia having deteriorated significantly during a five-week stay in hospital for an unrelated problem and with very restricted visiting by his family. As a result of this Gerrard launched John's Campaign for extended visiting rights for carers of patients with dementia.  Since February 2019, Gerrard has supported the 'Save Our Libraries Essex' (SOLE) campaign, speaking out against the proposed closures of libraries by Essex County Council.

Sean French.

Julian Sean French was born on 28 May 1959 in Bristol, the son of Philip French, a radio producer and film critic, and his Swedish-born wife Kerstin (née Molin). He was, like his two younger brothers Patrick and Karl, educated at William Ellis secondary school in north London before studying English literature at Oxford University. The couple never met while there. While at Oxford University, French won a young writers contest organised by "Vogue", and subsequently became a journalist.  In 1987 he gained his first column and until the end of 2000 he wrote a column for the "New Statesman". His solo novel "Start from Here" was published in 2004.

Nicci French is the pseudonym of English husband-and-wife team Nicci Gerrard (born 10 June 1958) and Sean French (born 28 May 1959), who write psychological thrillers together.

Nicci French est le pseudonyme conjoint de Nicci" Gerrard (née le à Worcestershire, Shropshire) et de son mari Sean "French (né le à Bristol). Ils sont tous les deux écrivains et journalistes anglais.


Taxonomy.

German naturalist Heinrich Kuhl described the blue-winged parrot in 1820 as "Psittacus chrysostomus", noting that it had been confused with the turquoise parrot ("N. pulchella"). However, the material used to describe it contained specimens of both this species and the elegant parrot. The species' name is from the Ancient Greek words "khrysos" "golden" and "stoma" "mouth", from the yellow skin around the eyes. In 1821, Coenraad Jacob Temminck gave the species the name "Psittacus venustus", however Kuhl had used this binomial name for the parrot now known as the northern rosella ("Platycercus venustus"). Gregory Mathews described two subspecies but neither is recognised as distinct today.  Early names included the blue-banded parakeet or blue-banded grass parakeet, taken from the species' blue frontal band. However this plumage is shared by two other members of the genus. It was also known as the Hobart ground parrot in Tasmania from its terrestrial habits. It is also called blue-winged grass parrot or blue winged grass parakeet, as well as its official name of blue-winged parrot.  One of six species of grass parrot in the genus "Neophema", it is most closely related to the elegant parrot, which is found to the west of this species with some range overlap in South Australia.

Description.

Ranging from 20 to 24 cm long and weighing around 55 g, the parrot is sexually dimorphic –both sexes are predominantly olive-green. The adult male has a two-toned band across the face above but not reaching the eyes—ultramarine above and paler turquoise blue below. Its crown is yellowish, and throat and breast pale green and belly yellow, its wing coverts and under wing coverts are deep blue. The tail is blue-grey. The bill is blue-grey and the iris is brown. The adult female is duller with dull olive underparts and smaller blue on wings and less distinctive frontal band. Juveniles are dull olive green with slate-blue wings and no frontal band.  The greater amount of blue on the wing helps distinguish the Blue-winged parrot from the elegant parrot and the orange-bellied parrot. The latter two species have more yellow-green and bright green plumage overall respectively.

Distribution and habitat.

The blue-winged parrot is found across southeastern Australia. In eastern South Australia, it is found north to the Flinders Ranges, and across Victoria. It is more sporadic across central and western New South Wales and into Queensland, as far north as Diamantina National Park. It lives in savannah woodland, grasslands, orchards, farmlands, marshes, heath, dunes, and other open habitats up to above sea level. It is one of only three species of parrot that make regular yearly migrations over a sea or ocean, with many members of the species flying between Tasmania, where they breed in spring and summer, and the mainland, where they winter. Some birds, however, do remain in Tasmania over the winter and some remain on the mainland to breed in the summer.  It is a spring visitor to King Island in the Bass Strait.

Feeding.

Blue-winged parrots mainly feed on the ground, eating seeds of grasses, including wallaby grass ("Austrodanthonia"), silver hairgrass ("Aira caryophyllea"), pale sundew ("Drosera peltata") in Tasmania, and "Poa caespitosa" and the introduced capeweed ("Arctotheca calendula") on the mainland, and in Queensland tangled lignum ("Muehlenbeckia florulenta"). They have been seen feeding alongside the European goldfinch in Victoria. Flock size ranges from pairs in breeding season to up to 2,000 birds just before autumn migration.

Breeding.

Breeding takes place from September to January, with one to two broods attempted each season. Blue-winged parrots use hollows of live and dead trees, generally eucalypts, as nesting sites up to 20 m above the ground. The clutch consists of four to six round or oval glossy white eggs, each of which is generally 22 mm long by 19 mm (0.8 by 0.7 in) wide. Incubation takes around 20 days and baby birds spend another 35 days in the nest.

Parasite.

The bird louse "Forficuloecus greeni" has been recovered from the blue-winged parrot.

In captivity.

The blue-winged parrot adapts readily to cultivation, and can be maintained in a 3 m (10 ft) communal aviary. It has been crossbred with the elegant and turquoise parrots.

The blue-winged parrot ("Neophema chrysostoma"), also known as the blue-banded parakeet or blue-banded grass-parakeet, is a small parrot found in Tasmania and southeast mainland Australia. It is partly migratory, with populations of blue-winged parrots travelling to Tasmania for the summer. The parrot is sexually dimorphic – the males have more blue on the wings and a two-toned blue frontal band on the head, while females are duller and have more green on the wings and a wingbar. Both sexes have predominantly olive-green plumage. Predominantly a feeder on the ground, the blue-winged parrot mainly eats seeds of grasses. It adapts readily to captivity.

La Perruche à bouche d'or ("Neophema chrysostoma"), aussi dit Perruche vénuste ou Perruche à ailes bleues, est une espèce d'oiseaux endémique de Tasmanie, du centre de l'Australie-Méridionale et de l'intérieur des terres du sud de l'Australie occidentale.


Life.

Sadeler was born in Antwerp in the Sadeler family of print dealers and engravers. He was the son of Emmanuel de Sayeleer and the nephew of Aegidius I, Jan I en Raphael Sadeler. He was trained by his uncle Jan I and became a member of the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke in 1589. He was active in Munich the next year in 1590, in Rome in 1593, in Naples and then again in Munich in 1594-1597. From 1597 he settled in Prague where he became court engraver for Rudolf II and made engraved portraits of notables and engravings after artworks there, most notably paintings by Bartholomeus Spranger, Roelant Savery, Hans von Aachen, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, and sculptures by Giambologna and Adriaen de Vries. His early engavings were mostly faithful copies of works by Albrecht Dürer in the Imperial collection and copies of paintings by notable Italian painters such as Raphael, Tintoretto, Parmigianino, Barocci and Titian or by Northern painters who worked there, such as Paul Bril and Denys Calvaert. In Prague he also engraved portraits of the notables of Rudolf's court, and collaborated with Spranger, Joseph Heintz the Elder and Jacobus Typotius.  After Rudolf II died he enjoyed the favour and protection of the two succeeding Emperors, Matthias and Ferdinand II. According to Michael Bryan, "He used the graver with a commanding facility, sometimes finishing his plates with surprising neatness, when the subject required it; at other times his burin is broad and bold. His plates are very numerous, representing historical subjects, portraits, landscapes, &c. some of them from his own designs, many of which are much esteemed, particularly his portraits, which are executed in an admirable style.  Sadeler died in Prague in 1629. He had many pupils, including Wenzel Hollar and Joachim von Sandrart, who wrote his biography.  His prints include:

Aegidius Sadeler or Aegidius Sadeler II (1570–1629) was a Flemish engraver who was principally active at the Prague court of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor and his successors.

Egidius Sadeler le Jeune, né vers 1570 à Anvers, mort en 1629 à Prague est graveur et peintre flamand de style maniériste et baroque.


Background.

After the American victory in the Guadalcanal campaign in early 1943, operations in the Solomon Islands shifted to the west, where the Japanese maintained a substantial garrison on Kolombangara. Airbases had been established at Munda, on the western coast of New Georgia, and at Vila on the southern coast of Kolombangara. Allied efforts to reduce these airbases initially focused on air strikes, but later included naval bombardment in preparation for a ground campaign to capture New Georgia that would eventually commence in late June and early July 1943. Meanwhile, the Japanese continued to build up these bases as part of their efforts to reinforce the southern defenses to their main base around Rabaul.  On the night of 5 March 1943, the Japanese destroyers and took supplies to the Japanese base at Vila, on Kolombangara. Together, these ships formed part of the 2nd Fleet's Destroyer Squadron 4, which was under the command of Captain Masao Tachibana. Their passage to Vila was undertaken through the Vella Gulf and Blackett Strait, while they decided to return to the Shortland Islands via the shorter route through the Kula Gulf.

Battle.

As the Japanese ships withdrew through the Kula Gulf after landing their cargo, they encountered Task Force 68 (TF 68), consisting of three light cruisers (,, and ) and three destroyers (,, and ) commanded by Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill. This force was en route to commence bombarding Japanese positions at Vila. Two submarines, "Grayback" and "Grampus", had been assigned to support Merrill's force, and were stationed along likely Japanese withdrawal routes out of the Kula Gulf. Merrill's attack on Vila was timed to coincide with another attack on Munda by four destroyers under Captain Robert Briscoe.  In a short battle, both Japanese destroyers were sunk. The U.S. force was proceeding in a southwesterly direction about off the New Georgia coast, cruising at about. Meanwhile, the Japanese ships were sailing in the opposite direction along the east coast of Kolombangara, northeast from Sasamboki Island, roughly offshore from Stanmore. First contact was established by the U.S. radar operators around 00:57 on 6 March and firing commenced at 01:01. The U.S. cruisers engaged to starboard with their 6-inch guns at a range of around. Radar controlled gunnery was in its infancy as a technique and there was a tendency for the initial barrage to fall on the same, usually nearest, target. In earlier naval battles in the Pacific, this tactical deficiency had allowed the Japanese to successfully engage attacking U.S. ships with torpedoes and had resulted in several losses for U.S. forces previously.  In this case, the entire opening salvo straddled "Murasame". As "Minegumo"s captain began passing orders to his crew, "Murasame" was hit by the sixth salvo of American gunfire, which was followed shortly afterwards by a salvo of five torpedoes that had been fired by the destroyer "Waller". At around 01:15, one of these torpedoes hit "Murasame", which exploded, caught fire and eventually sank. The explosion was reportedly heard by Briscoe's force about away around Munda. The U.S. cruisers then rapidly shifted target, doing so before "Minegumo" could release any torpedoes.  Meanwhile, "Minegumo" attempted to return fire, aiming for the flashes of the U.S. gun batteries off their starboard bow. After a few minutes, though, the second Japanese destroyer was also hit and began sinking in short order. As the surviving Japanese crew abandoned ship, firing ceased at 01:14. After the engagement, the U.S. vessels completed a turn to starboard when they were roughly due east of the Blackett Strait and north of Tunguirili Point. At 01:24, they commenced a northerly bombardment run off the Kolombangara coast, having been delayed by only 16 minutes. Under the direction of a reconnaissance aircraft flying overhead, the U.S. gunners targeted "supply dumps, runways, bivouacs and dispersed aircraft", according to Samuel Morison. The bombardment was reportedly very destructive and accurate. Several Japanese shore batteries responded, firing on the bombarding ships, but were knocked out quickly with counter battery fire. After completing their task at 01:40, Merrill's force withdrew through the New Georgia Sound.

Aftermath.

A total of 174 Japanese sailors lost their lives during the battle on 6 March; 128 of these were from "Murasame", while the rest were from "Minegumo". The survivors swam to shore on Kolombangara. Fifty-three survivors from "Murasame" and 122 from "Minegumo" managed to reach Japanese lines. Two other survivors from "Minegumo" were later captured by U.S. forces. One of the U.S. submarines assigned to support the operation, "Grampus", went missing and did not return to base at the end of its patrol. The submarine's fate remains unknown and it is uncertain if it was lost as a result of actions during the Blackett Strait operation or before. It was officially listed a missing, presumed lost on or before 3 March although there is a possibility it was attacked by "Minegumo" during the evening of 5/6 March.

Mining operations.

On 20 March, the Allies began mining operations in the central Solomons using U.S. Navy and Marine Corps torpedo bombers to sow mines throughout the northern Solomons. After a month, these operations were briefly suspended as a result of Operation I-Go due to the need to free up AirSols aircraft to respond in the event of further attacks. In May, these operations resumed. On 7 May, the minelayers,, and, escorted by, laid mines across Blackett Strait in an attempt to interdict Japanese ships traveling through the strait. The next day, the Japanese destroyers,, and all hit mines in that area. "Kuroshio" sank immediately. "Kagero" and "Oyashio" sank later that day after being attacked and further damaged by U.S. aircraft from Henderson Field following a radio report from an Australian coastwatcher on Kolombangara.

"PT-109".

Later in the year, with the ground campaign around Munda reaching a climax, another engagement occurred in Blackett Strait when a force of 15 PT boats, including Lieutenant (Junior Grade) John F. Kennedy's "PT-109" were sent to intercept the "Tokyo Express" supply convoy on 2 August. In what National Geographic called a "poorly planned and badly coordinated" attack, 15 boats with 60 available torpedoes went into action. However, of the 30 torpedoes fired by PT boats from four sections, not a single hit was scored. In the battle, only four PT boats (the section leaders) had radar, and they were ordered to return to base after firing their torpedoes on radar bearings. When they left, the remaining boats were virtually blind.  Patrolling just after the section leader had departed for home, "PT-109" was run down on a dark moonless night by the Japanese destroyer, returning from the supply mission. The PT boat had her engines at idle to hide her wake from seaplanes. Conflicting statements have been made as to whether the destroyer captain spotted and steered towards the boat. Members of the destroyer crew believed the collision was not an accident, though other reports suggest "Amagiri"'s captain had not intentionally rammed "PT-109". Kennedy's crew was assumed lost by the U.S. Navy, but were found later by Solomon Islander scouts Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana.

The Battle of Blackett Strait (Japanese: ビラ・スタンモーア夜戦 (Battle of Vila–Stanmore)) was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on 6 March 1943 in the Blackett Strait, between Kolombangara and Arundel Island in the Solomon Islands. The battle was a chance encounter between two Japanese destroyers that had been undertaking a resupply run to Vila and a U.S. Navy force of three light cruisers and three destroyers that had been tasked with bombarding the Japanese shore facilities around Vila. The two forces clashed as the Japanese destroyers were withdrawing through the Kula Gulf. In the short battle that followed the two Japanese destroyers were sunk after which the U.S. ships completed their bombardment of Vila before returning to their base.

La bataille du détroit de Blackett est une bataille navale de la guerre dans le Pacifique pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, qui a eu lieu dans la nuit du 5 au entre la marine impériale japonaise et la marine américaine. La bataille, qui s'insère dans le cadre de la campagne des îles Salomon, a eu lieu dans le détroit de Blackett entre l'île de Kolombangara et l'île de Arundel dans les îles Salomon.


Early life.

Gerin was born on October 7,

Professional wrestling career.

Early career (1994–1998).

Gerin trained as a wrestler at the Can-Am Wrestling School located in Windsor, Ontario under Scott D'Amore, with whom he later reunited in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He began training on September 24, 1994, and had his first match on March 10, 1995. Gerin made four appearances in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as enhancement talent under the ring name Rhino Richards. Richards lost to "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan on the August 5, 1994 edition of "WCW Saturday Night". WCW Television Champion The Renegade defeated Richards on the September 9 edition of "WCW Pro". Richards and Johnny Swinger

Catch Wrestling Association (1997–1998).

In 1997, Gerin relocated to Hanover, Germany, where he began competing for the Catch Wrestling Association (CWA) under the ring name "Rhino Richards". On October 10, 1998,

Extreme Championship Wrestling (1999–2001).

Gerin debuted in ECW in 1999 as Rhino. Rhino quickly joined forces with Steve Corino and Jack Victory. Rhino and Corino challenged Tommy Dreamer and Raven for the ECW World Tag Team Championship at Anarchy Rulz, but were defeated. In late 1999, Rhino began feuding with The Sandman, and at November to Remember he teamed with the Impact Players to defeat Dreamer, Raven, and Sandman.  On March 12, 2000, Rhino lost to Super Crazy in the finals of a tournament for the World Television Championship at Living Dangerously. He won the title on April 22, defeating Yoshihiro Tajiri at CyberSlam. He lost the title to Kid Kash on

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment.

The Alliance (2001−2002).

Following the closure of ECW, Gerin signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He debuted on the March 19, 2001 episode of "Raw", in Albany, New York at the Pepsi Arena, under the ring name Rhyno as a heel, aligning himself with Edge and Christian. Rhyno went on to help Edge and Christian defeat The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz for the WWF Tag Team Championship in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match at WrestleMania X-Seven. On the April 19 edition of "SmackDown!", Rhyno defeated Kane to win the WWF Hardcore Championship. At Backlash, he defeated Raven to retain the title. At Judgment Day, Rhyno, Edge, and Christian formed a stable with Kurt Angle known as Team RECK, with all four members reaching the semi-finals of the King of the Ring. Rhyno was eliminated from the event by the eventual winner, Edge. He won the Hardcore Championship a total of three times

Brand switches (2003–2005).

Rhyno returned to WWE television sixteen months later on the February 27, 2003 episode of "SmackDown!", aligning himself with Chris Benoit and thus becoming a face for the first time in his WWE career. Rhyno and Benoit went on to unsuccessfully challenge Team Angle for the WWE Tag Team Championship in a triple threat tag team match (also involving Los Guerreros) at WrestleMania XIX. At Judgment Day, Rhyno teamed with Spanky, and Chris Benoit in a losing effort against John Cena and The Full Blooded Italians (Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli). At Vengeance, Rhyno turned on Benoit during a United States Championship match against Eddie Guerrero, thus turning heel once again. Rhyno continued to wrestle on "SmackDown!" pursuing the United States Championship on several occasions. At SummerSlam,

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

Debut and NWA World Heavyweight Champion reign (2005).

After time on the independent circuit, Gerin made his debut in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on July 17, 2005 as Rhino, reverting to the ECW spelling of his wrestling name. He debuted by hitting then-NWA World Heavyweight Champion Raven with the Gore following a match with Abyss at No Surrender, thus debuting as both a villain and a member of Planet Jarrett.  These events led to a match being scheduled between the team of Rhino and Jeff Jarrett and the team of Raven and the returning Sabu at Sacrifice on August 14. During the Sacrifice preshow, Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko informed Jarrett, who had lobbied for a title shot for several weeks, that if he could pin Raven, he would receive a shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Unbreakable. However, should Jarrett lose the match, he would be prohibited from receiving a world title shot for one year. Later that night, during the tag match, Jeff Hardy returned to TNA, attacking Jarrett and enabling Rhino to

Feuds with Abyss and Christian (2006).

Rhino then wrapped up a brutal feud with Abyss, who (due to his alignment with Planet Jarrett) halted Rhino's war on Team Canada. The feud saw Abyss "Black Hole Slam" Rhino on to several chairs, and Rhino smash Abyss through a steel wall with the "Gore". Their singles feud ended at Against All Odds when Rhino Gored Abyss off of a fifteen-foot ramp on to four tables. In April, Rhino became a member of Sting's four-man team of "Warriors", joining A.J. Styles and Ron Killings to fight Jeff Jarrett's "Army" in a Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown.  On June 9, after Rhino defeated Jeff Jarrett at a TNA house show in the old ECW Arena in Philadelphia, he publicly acknowledged that he had been offered a contract to come back to WWE and wrestle for the new ECW. Rhino, however, decided to stay with

Feuds with A.J. Styles and James Storm (2006–2008).

Towards the end of 2006, Rhino entered into a program with A.J. Styles. This started with Rhino trying to help Styles with his situation with Christopher Daniels, only to have Styles pull away and accuse Rhino of getting into his business, thus turning him heel. Rhino would lose to Styles at Turning Point after Styles faked a knee injury and then pinned Rhino with a roll-up. The Rhino-Styles feud continued into 2007. At Final Resolution, Rhino defeated Styles in a Last Man Standing match. Rhino set

Alliance with Christian and TNA Front Line (2008–2009).

The next week, Christian Cage had to find a tag partner to help him fight A.J. Styles and Tomko and asked Rhino to join him, but Rhino refused due to their past history (Cage had since turned face). Tomko, Styles, and Team 3D attacked Cage after his tag team match with Kevin Nash. The following week on "Impact!", Cage managed to get Rhino on his side during an interview with Jeremy Borash. At Lockdown in the Lethal Lockdown match, Rhino pinned Storm to get the win for Cage's team. Rhino went on to form a tag team with Cage and they competed in the Deuces Wild Tag Team Tournament to crown new tag team champions by beating The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) to qualify. The tournament took place at Sacrifice where they beat the team of Robert Roode and Booker T, but lost in the second round to Team 3D after Brother Ray hit Rhino with a kendo stick. Rhino would beat James

Heel turn (2009–2010).

At the Lockdown pre-show, Eric Young defeated Danny Bonaduce. After the bout, Bonaduce attacked Young, but Rhino came to the ring to aid Young and then "Gored" Bonaduce. Afterwards, Rhino began an angle that aired on television, where he would train and mentor Jesse Neal, a former member of the military, to become a pro wrestler. However, in training Jesse Neal, Rhino has become quite frustrated leading to a very short temper. This led to a tag match on August 13, 2009 where when Jesse lost the match making a "rookie mistake" by refusing a hot tag to Rhino. Rhino turned heel later by goring his former protege, Jesse Neal. Then his former mentors Team 3D had realized what a selfish man Rhino was, thus leading to a feud between them.

ECW reunion and departure (2010).

After being absent from television for four months, Rhino returned on the July 1 episode of "Impact!", appearing in the Impact! Zone crowd beside fellow ECW alumni Tommy Dreamer, Raven and Stevie Richards, thus seemingly turning back into a face. On the July 15 episode of "Impact!" Rhino, Dreamer, Raven, Richards, Brother Devon, Pat Kenney and Al Snow, led by Mick Foley, aligned themselves with the TNA World Heavyweight Champion Rob Van Dam by attacking Abyss and the rest of the TNA locker room. The following week, TNA president Dixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event, Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand, as a celebration of hardcore wrestling and a final farewell to the company. At the event Rhino defeated Al Snow and Brother Runt in a three-way match.  On the following episode of "Impact!", the ECW alumni, known collectively as EV 2.0), were assaulted by A.J. Styles, Kazarian, Robert Roode, James Storm, Douglas Williams and Matt Morgan of Ric Flair's stable, who thought they did not deserve to be in TNA. During the assault Abyss came out, fought Rob Van Dam backstage and caused him storyline injuries, which forced him to vacate the

Independent circuit (2011–2016).

Since his departure from TNA, Rhino has appeared in several independent promotions across the United States and Canada. In May 2011, Rhino took part in New Japan Pro Wrestling's (NJPW) first tour of the United States, the Invasion Tour 2011. In the main event of the first night on May 13 in Rahway, New Jersey, Rhino teamed with Charlie Haas in a tag team match, where they defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi and Togi Makabe after Rhino pinned Makabe. At the following day's event in New York City, Rhino pinned Kazuchika Okada in a six-man tag team match, where he teamed with Davey Richards and Homicide against Okada, Makabe and Ryusuke Taguchi. On the third and final day of the tour, Rhino was defeated by Makabe in the main event, a "South Philadelphia Street Fight", at the former ECW Arena. On May 29 Rhyno appeared in Dutch Pro Wrestling beating Kenzo Richards in an Extreme rules match.  He also wrestled in Resistance Pro Wrestling. On February 17, 2012, at Vicious Circle, he was defeated by the RPW Heavyweight Champion Harry Smith. Rhino had another chance for

Ring of Honor (2011–2013).

Rhino was revealed to be the bodyguard hired by Prince Nana to protect The Embassy from Homicide on June 13, 2011. In his debut match for the promotion on June 26 at Best in the World 2011, Rhino was defeated by Homicide in a Street Fight. In his next ROH appearance at the Death Before Dishonor IX pay-per-view on September 17, Rhino and fellow Embassy member Tommaso Ciampa defeated Homicide and Jay Lethal in a tag team match. In late 2011, after not appearing in ROH events for a couple of months, Rhino was removed from the

Return to TNA (2014).

On June 20, 2014, Rhino returned to TNA during the "Impact Wrestling" tapings, as he attacked Bully Ray on behalf of Ethan Carter III to help him win a Tables match, re-establishing himself as a heel in the process. On the July 24 episode of Impact Wrestling, Rhino, Ethan Carter III and Rockstar Spud defeated Tommy Dreamer, Bully Ray, and Devon in a 6-man New York City street fight. On the August 7 episode of Impact Wrestling, Rhino,

Return to WWE (2015-2019).

NXT and main roster appearances (2015–2016).

Rhyno made an unannounced return to WWE on February 18, 2015 during the taping of "NXT", defeating Elias Samson. After a few weeks of defeating local competitors, Rhyno explained he was in "NXT" to win the NXT Championship. On the April 15 episode of "NXT", Rhyno faced Sami Zayn in a losing effort. On the May 6 episode of "NXT", after defeating Bull Dempsey, Rhyno would challenge Baron Corbin to a match at, which he lost. On the June 3 episode of "NXT", following his loss to Finn Bálor, Rhyno would "Gore" Bálor on the stage, turning heel. On the July 1 episode of "NXT", Rhyno would team with Kevin Owens in a losing effort against Bálor and Samoa Joe.  In September, Rhyno and Baron Corbin would compete in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, where they would defeat

Teaming with Heath Slater and departure (2016–2019).

On the July 26 episode of "SmackDown Live", Rhyno returned to attack "free agent" Heath Slater with a Gore. On the August 9 episode of "SmackDown Live", the two wrestled each other with the stipulation that if Slater won, he would be signed to the "SmackDown" roster; however, Rhyno defeated Slater. On the August 23 episode of "SmackDown", Slater was offered a spot in the tournament for the newly instated SmackDown Tag Team Championship if he found a partner. After struggling to find a partner, Rhyno approached Slater and agreed to be his partner for the tournament. Rhyno and Slater defeated The Headbangers in the first round and The Hype Bros in the semi-finals to advance to the finals at Backlash, where they defeated The Usos to become the inaugural champions, while also granting Slater a contract. On the September 13 episode of "SmackDown Live", Rhyno and Slater defeated The Ascension to successfully retain the titles in their first defense following Slater's official live contract signing. At No Mercy, Rhyno and Slater retained the titles against The Usos. At Survivor Series, Rhyno and Slater were the team captains for Team SmackDown in the 10–on–10 Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination match, where they were defeated by Team Raw. At on December 4, Rhyno and Slater's tag team championship reign came to an end at 84 days after they were defeated by The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton). Two days later on "SmackDown Live", Rhyno and Slater received their rematch, but failed to regain the titles. At Elimination Chamber on February 12, 2017, the duo were the first entrants into the tag team turmoil match for the titles, eliminating Breezango and The Vaudevillains before being eliminated by The Usos. At WrestleMania 33, Rhyno competed in the André the Giant Memorial

Return to independent circuit (2019–present).

So far, Rhino's first match announced on the independent circuit is on July 26, for Sami Callihan's promotion The Wrestling Revolver. In

Second return to Impact Wrestling (2019–present).

On July 7, 2019, (whilst still under contract with WWE) he returned to TNA, now known as Impact Wrestling at Slammiversary XVII under disguise in all black and a black mask. At the event, he would

Professional wrestling style and persona.

Rhyno has been featured as an intimidating powerhouse with combined feats of strength and speed, known by various nicknames such as "The Rookie Monster", "The Big F'n Deal", "The Man Beast", "The War/Gore Machine" and

Other media.

Rhyno made his film debut in the 2011 horror film "Death from Above", alongside fellow wrestler Kurt Angle.  Rhyno appears in ten wrestling video games. They are "ECW Anarchy Rulz", "ECW

Politics.

Gerin announced on March 4, 2016, that he would run for the Michigan House of Representatives, angling for the 15th District seat, which encompasses his hometown of Dearborn. In subsequent interviews, Gerin confirmed he would run as a Republican and that he had the approval of WWE owner Vince McMahon, whose wife, former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, mounted

Personal life.

Gerin is close friends with Adam Copeland and Jay Reso, best known by their ring names Edge and Christian. Following the "SmackDown" taping on September 16, 2011, Gerin made a one-night return to WWE as a part of an "Appreciation Night" to celebrate Edge's career. He also made an appearance at Edge's induction ceremony into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012.

Terrance Guido Gerin (born October 7, 1975) is an American professional wrestler, actor and politician, better known by the ring names Rhyno and Rhino. He is currently signed to Impact Wrestling.

Terrence Romney Gerin (né le à Détroit), plus connu sous les pseudonymes de Rhino (aussi écrit Rhyno), est un catcheur américain. Il travaille actuellement à Impact! Wrestling


Theoretical background.

By linearly perturbing the equations defining the mechanical equilibrium of a star (i.e. mass conservation and hydrostatic equilibrium) and assuming that the perturbations are adiabatic, one can derive a system of four differential equations whose solutions give the frequency and structure of a star's modes of oscillation. The stellar structure is usually assumed to be spherically symmetric, so the horizontal (i.e. non-radial) component of the oscillations is described by spherical harmonics, indexed by an angular degree formula_1 and azimuthal order formula_2. In non-rotating stars, modes with the same angular degree must all have the same frequency because there is no preferred axis. The angular degree indicates the number of nodal lines on the stellar surface, so for large values of formula_1, the opposing sectors roughly cancel out, making it difficult to detect light variations. As a consequence, modes can only be detected up to an angular degree of about 3 in intensity and about 4 if observed in radial velocity.  By additionally assuming that the perturbation to the gravitational potential is negligible (the "Cowling" approximation) and that the star's structure varies more slowly with radius than the oscillation mode, the equations can be reduced approximately to one second-order equation for the radial component of the displacement eigenfunction formula_4,  formula_5  where formula_6 is the radial co-ordinate in the star, formula_7 is the angular frequency of the oscillation mode, formula_8 is the sound speed inside the star, formula_9 is the Brunt–Väisälä or buoyancy frequency and formula_10 is the Lamb frequency. The last two are defined by  formula_11  and  formula_12  respectively. By analogy with the behaviour of simple harmonic oscillators, this implies that oscillating solutions exist when the frequency is either greater or less than both formula_10 and formula_9. We identify the former case as high-frequency pressure modes (p-modes) and the latter as low-frequency gravity modes (g-modes).  This basic separation allows us to determine (to reasonable accuracy) where we expect what kind of mode to resonate in a star. By plotting the curves formula_15 and formula_16 (for given formula_1), we expect p-modes to resonate at frequencies below both curves or frequencies above both curves.

Excitation mechanisms.

formula_18-mechanism.

Under fairly specific conditions, some stars have regions where heat is transported by radiation and the opacity is a sharply decreasing function of temperature. This opacity "bump" can drive oscillations through the formula_18-mechanism (or "Eddington valve"). Suppose that, at the beginning of an oscillation cycle, the stellar envelope has contracted. By expanding and cooling slightly, the layer in the opacity bump becomes more opaque, absorbs more radiation, and heats up. This heating causes expansion, further cooling and the layer becomes even more opaque. This continues until the material opacity stops increasing so rapidly, at which point the radiation trapped in the layer can escape. The star contracts and the cycle prepares to commence again. In this sense, the opacity acts like a valve that traps heat in the star's envelope.  Pulsations driven by the formula_18-mechanism are coherent and have relatively large amplitudes. It drives the pulsations in many of the longest-known variable stars, including the Cepheid and RR Lyrae variables.

Surface convection.

In stars with surface convection zones, turbulent fluids motions near the surface simultaneously excite and damp oscillations across a broad range of frequency. Because the modes are intrinsically stable, they have low amplitudes and are relatively short-lived. This is the driving mechanism in all solar-like oscillators.

Convective blocking.

If the base of a surface convection zone is sharp and the convective timescales slower than the pulsation timescales, the convective flows react too slowly perturbations that can build up into large, coherent pulsations. This mechanism is known as "convective blocking" and is believed to drive pulsations in the formula_21 Doradus variables.

Tidal excitation.

Observations from the "Kepler" satellite revealed eccentric binary systems in which oscillations are excited during the closest approach. These systems are known as "heartbeat" stars because of the characteristic shape of the lightcurves.

Types of oscillators.

Solar-like oscillators.

Because solar oscillations are driven by near-surface convection, any stellar oscillations caused similarly are known as "solar-like oscillations" and the stars themselves as "solar-like oscillators". However, solar-like oscillations also occur in evolved stars (subgiants and red giants), which have convective envelopes, even though the stars are not "Sun-like".

Cepheid variables.

Cepheid variables are one of the most important classes of pulsating star. They are core-helium burning stars with masses above about 5 solar masses. They principally oscillate at their fundamental modes, with typical periods ranging from days to months. Their pulsation periods are closely related to their luminosities, so it is possible to determine the distance to a Cepheid by measuring its oscillation period, computing its luminosity, and comparing this to its observed brightness.  Cepheid pulsations are excited by the kappa mechanism acting on the second ionization zone of helium.

RR Lyrae variables.

RR Lyraes are similar to Cepheid variables but of lower metallicity (i.e. Population II) and much lower masses (about 0.6 to 0.8 time solar). They are core helium-burning giants that oscillate in one or both of their fundamental mode or first overtone. The oscillation are also driven by the kappa mechanism acting through the second ionization of helium. Many RR Lyraes, including RR Lyrae itself, show long period amplitude modulations, known as the Blazhko effect.

Delta Scuti and Gamma Doradus stars.

Delta Scuti variables are found roughly where the classical instability strip intersects the main sequence. They are typically A- to early F-type dwarfs and subgiants and the oscillation modes are low-order radial and non-radial pressure modes, with periods ranging from 0.25 to 8 hours and magnitude variations anywhere between. Like Cepheid variables, the oscillations are driven by the kappa mechanism acting on the second ionization of helium.  SX Phoenicis variables are regarded as metal-poor relatives of Delta Scuti variables.  Gamma Doradus variables occur in similar stars to the red end of the Delta Scuti variables, usually of early F-type. The stars show multiple oscillation frequencies between about 0.5 and 3 days, which is much slower than the low-order pressure modes. Gamma Doradus oscillations are generally thought to be high-order gravity modes, excited by convective blocking.  Following results from "Kepler", it appears that many Delta Scuti stars also show Gamma Doradus oscillations and are therefore hybrids.

Rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) stars.

Rapidly oscillating Ap stars have similar parameters to Delta Scuti variables, mostly being A- and F-type, but they are also strongly magnetic and chemically peculiar (hence the "p" spectral subtype). Their dense mode spectra are understood in terms of the "oblique pulsator model": the mode's frequencies are modulated by the magnetic field, which is not necessarily aligned with the star's rotation (as is the case in the Earth). The oscillation modes have frequencies around 1500 μHz and amplitudes of a few mmag.

Slowly-pulsating B stars and Beta Cephei variables.

Slowly-pulsating B (SPB) stars are B-type stars with oscillation periods of a few days, understood to be high-order gravity modes excited by the kappa mechanism. Beta Cephei variables are slightly hotter (and thus more massive), also have modes excited by the kappa mechanism and additionally oscillate in low-order gravity modes with periods of several hours. Both classes of oscillators contain only slowly-rotating stars.

Variable subdwarf B stars.

Subdwarf B (sdB) stars are in essence the cores of core-helium burning giants who have somehow lost most of their hydrogen envelopes, to the extent that there is no hydrogen-burning shell. They have multiple oscillation periods that range between about 1 and 10 minutes and amplitudes anywhere between 0.001 and 0.3 mag in visible light. The oscillations are low-order pressure modes, excited by the kappa mechanism acting on the iron opacity bump.

White dwarfs.

White dwarfs are characterized by spectral type, much like ordinary stars, except that the relationship between spectral type and effective temperature does not correspond in the same way. Thus, white dwarfs are known by types DO, DA and DB. Cooler types are physically possible but the Universe is too young for them to have cooled enough. White dwarfs of all three types are found to pulsate. The pulsators are known as GW Virginis stars (DO variables, sometimes also known as PG 1159 stars), V777 Herculis stars (DB variables) and ZZ Ceti stars (DA variables). All pulsate in low-degree, high-order g-modes. The oscillation periods broadly decrease with effective temperature, ranging from about 30 min down to about 1 minute. GW Virginis and ZZ Ceti stars are thought to be excited by the kappa mechanism; V777 Herculis stars by convective blocking.

Space missions.

A number of past, present and future spacecraft have asteroseismology studies as a significant part of their missions (order chronological).

Software.

The "Variable Star" package (in R language) provides the main functions to analized patterns on the oscilation modes of variable stars. An UI for experimentation with synthetic data is also provided.

Asteroseismology is the study of oscillations in stars. Because a star's different oscillation modes are sensitive to different parts of the star, they inform astronomers about the internal structure of the star, which is otherwise not directly possible from overall properties like brightness and surface temperature. Asteroseismology is closely related to helioseismology, the study of stellar oscillations specifically in the Sun. Though both are based on the same underlying physics, more and qualitatively different information is available for the Sun because its surface can be resolved.

En astrophysique, l'astérosismologie est la discipline qui étudie les modes de vibration (ou oscillations) des étoiles autres que le Soleil (dans ce cas, on parle d'héliosismologie). L'astérosismologie est une technique d'étude de la structure interne des étoiles.


Early years.

Ilitch was born in Detroit in 1929 to Macedonian immigrants Sotir and Sultana Ilitch. His father was a tool-and-die maker.

Business career.

A graduate of Cooley High School in Detroit, Michigan, Ilitch served in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years.  After his return home to Detroit, the Detroit Tigers offered him $3,000 if he would sign to play baseball, and Ilitch had a four-year minor league career from 1952 to 1955. Ilitch played mostly second base for the Tigers', New York Yankees', and Washington Senators' organizations in the Pennsylvania–Ontario–New York League, Cotton States League, and Florida International League. He was forced out of his playing career due to a knee injury.  After leaving baseball, Ilitch started a pizza business in 1959. With the help of his wife, Marian, the Ilitches opened Little Caesars Pizza Treat in Garden City, Michigan., the family's entities remain privately held. In 1999, the Ilitches established Ilitch Holdings, Inc. to provide their various enterprises with professional and technical services, and held the titles of chairman and vice chairwoman, respectively. The combined total revenues for these enterprises in 2007 reportedly exceeded $1.8 billion. Ilitch had fallen off "Forbes" magazine's annual list of the "400 Richest Americans", but in 2006 he returned to the list at #242. As of December 2016, he was #86 on the Forbes 400 and had an estimated net worth of $6.1 billion.  In 2000, Ilitch and his wife appointed two of their children as co-presidents of Ilitch Holdings, Inc.: Christopher Ilitch and daughter Denise Ilitch, an attorney. Christopher Ilitch was named to the new post of CEO and president. Denise Ilitch later left the company "to pursue other opportunities".

Sports ownership.

Detroit Caesars.

The Detroit Caesars was a professional softball team that began play in the American Professional Slow Pitch Softball League (APSPL) in 1977. The team disbanded after the 1979 season. Prior to formalized professional play, a major sponsor of amateur softball in the Detroit area was Little Caesars, and with the formation of a professional league, Ilitch formed a team in his first step into professional sports ownership.  The Caesars played at Memorial Field in East Detroit and featured former Detroit Tiger stars Jim Northrup and Norm Cash, along with established softball players such as Mike Nye, Ronnie Ford, Bert Smith, and Tex Collins. The team was led by manager Gary Vitto, earning the team two championships before disbanding after the 1979 season.

Detroit Red Wings.

In 1982, Ilitch bought the Detroit Red Wings from Bruce Norris (whose family had owned the team for 50 years) for US$8 million, and turned the team into a perennial contender for the Stanley Cup. After years of drafting top picks and grooming their young players, and with proper management and leadership, the Red Wings became an elite NHL team. They made the Stanley Cup finals three times between the 1994–1995 and 1997–1998 seasons, winning the Cup in 1997 (fifteen years after Ilitch purchased the Red Wings) and again in 1998. The Red Wings added two more championships in 2002 and 2008. Prior to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, "Forbes" magazine ranked the Red Wings as the fifth-most valuable franchise in the NHL, despite a $16 million operating loss.  For the 2007–2008 hockey season, the team won the President's Trophy for the best record in the NHL for the sixth time—the most of any NHL team since the President's Trophy was introduced in 1985–1986. The Red Wings made the playoffs for 25 consecutive seasons through 2015–2016. The 25 consecutive playoff berths were the longest active streak of post-season appearances in all of the North American professional sports, before ending in the 2016–2017 season. It is tied for third all-time in NHL history after 29 consecutive appearances by the Boston Bruins from 1967–1968 to 1995–1996, 28 consecutive trips by the Chicago Blackhawks from 1969–1970 through 1996–1997, and is tied with the 25 consecutive appearances by the St. Louis Blues from 1979–1980 to 2003–2004.

Detroit Tigers.

Ilitch purchased the Detroit Tigers in 1992 from fellow pizza magnate Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza. Under his ownership, the Tigers logged losing records in twelve out of thirteen seasons before their turnaround in 2006.  After acquiring the team, Ilitch expressed interest in moving the struggling team to a new ballpark. In 2000, his expectations were realized when the team moved from Tiger Stadium into the newly built Comerica Park. He financed approximately 60% of the $350 million facility; the taxpayers of the greater Detroit-Wayne County and federal grants covered the balance. Various Ilitch Holdings, Inc. enterprises manage and operate Comerica Park and its concessions.  In 2005, the Detroit Tigers hosted MLB's 76th All-Star Game at Comerica Park. All-Star Week in Detroit produced the highest-grossing revenue in the history of the All-Star Game. "Forbes" magazine ranked the Tigers #22 in its 2005 list of the Top 30 most valuable sports franchises.  When the Tigers won the AL Wild Card under manager Jim Leyland and general manager Dave Dombrowski in 2006, they made the playoffs for the first time since 1987. They also reached the World Series for the first time since 1984, but the Tigers eventually lost in five games to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Series. Since Dombrowski was brought in, Ilitch has steadily agreed to bring in marquee free agents and finance a larger payroll, with the Tigers beginning the 2008 season as one of the highest-salaried teams in baseball.  On September 16, 2011, the Tigers won the Central division title—their first division crown since Ilitch's purchase. On January 24, 2012, Ilitch signed Prince Fielder to a nine-year, $214 million contract, the fourth-largest contract in baseball history. The 2012 Tigers went all the way to the World Series, but were swept by the San Francisco Giants. Prior to the 2013 season, Ilitch agreed to sign starting pitcher Justin Verlander to a seven-year, $180 million contract extension, at the time the highest single offer ever tendered to a major league pitcher.

Detroit Drive.

Ilitch was one of the early team owners in the Arena Football League, starting up the Detroit Drive in 1988. The Drive was one of the most successful teams in the early days of the AFL, both on and off the field. They generally had strong attendance (although much of that was due to discounted or giveaway tickets), and the Drive was in the ArenaBowl in every year of their six-year existence, going 4-2 in the title games.  After Ilitch bought the Tigers in 1992 though, he decided he didn't want to own another franchise that would take away fans from the Tigers, so he sold the team and they moved to Worcester, Massachusetts.

Hockey Hall of Fame.

Ilitch was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003 as well as the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.

Philanthropy.

One of Ilitch's first philanthropic efforts was the Little Caesars Love Kitchen, established in 1985. The traveling restaurant was formed to feed the hungry and assist with food provisions during natural disasters. The program has been recognized by former Presidents Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, and has served more than 2 million individuals in the United States and Canada. In 2006, inspired by a veteran returning to civilian life after losing both of his legs in the war, Ilitch founded the Little Caesars Veterans Program to provide honorably discharged veterans with a business opportunity when they transition from service or seek a career change. Ilitch received the Secretary's Award from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for this program in 2007; it is the highest honor given to a civilian by the department. The Little Caesars Amateur Hockey Program, established by Ilitch in 1968, helped thousands of children. Additionally, Ilitch Charities for Children was founded in 2000 as a non-profit foundation dedicated to improving the lives of children in the areas of health, education, and recreation.  In 2008, the charity was renamed Ilitch Charities and its focus was broadened. The new charity invests in the community's future by supporting innovative, collaborative and measurable programs that promote economic development and spur job growth, as a means to address social issues such as poverty, unemployment, homelessness, and hunger.  As a result of his philanthropy, the School of Business for Wayne State University in Detroit is named the "Mike Ilitch School of Business".  According to the Center for Responsive Politics, reports required by the Federal Election Commission from 2002 to 2005 indicate Ilitch Holdings, Inc. members and business partners have contributed more than $500,000 to political campaigns and PACs.  After civil rights icon Rosa Parks was attacked in her Detroit apartment in 1994, Ilitch quietly paid years of Park's rent to enable her to live in a safer part of Detroit.

Personal life.

Ilitch was married to Marian Ilitch (nee Bayoff, born 1933), who would go onto become one of the world's wealthiest women. Like Ilitch, his wife was born in Michigan to immigrants from Macedonia. Together, they had seven children: Denise Ilitch Lites (born 1955), an attorney, Ron Ilitch (1957 – 2017), who died of a fentanyl overdose at the age of 61, Michael Ilitch, Jr., a film producer whose credits include "Lost in Space" (1998) and "The Angriest Man in Brooklyn" (2014), Christopher Ilitch (born 1965), the current CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Lisa Ilitch Murray, who served as the executive vice president of the Detroit Red Wings, Atanas Ilitch, an actor and singer whose most notable credit was that of the Driller Killer in "Slumber Party Massacre II" (1987), and Carole Ilitch Trepeck, also an attorney.  The family was presented the key to the City of Detroit by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick in February 2008, and were the fifth recipients of this award.

Death.

Ilitch died on February 10, 2017, at the age of 87 in Detroit, Michigan. The Red Wings wore a patch on their right shoulders in his memory, which featured his nickname "Mr. I" in a rectangle, for the remainder of the season; in addition, the nickname was featured on the ice at Joe Louis Arena, being painted on the center section of the rink, facing the Red Wings' bench. The Detroit Tigers also wore a black patch with his nickname "Mr. I' in a circle on the right sleeve of their home and away jerseys. In the aftermath of this death, his son, Christopher, took control of Ilitch Holdings and its properties.

Michael Ilitch Sr. (July 20, 1929 – February 10, 2017) was an American entrepreneur, founder and owner of the international fast food franchise Little Caesars Pizza. He owned the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League and Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball.

Michael Ilitch dit Mike Ilitch (né le à Bitola en Macédoine (alors en Royaume de Yougoslavie) et mort le à Détroit (Michigan), États-Unis), est un homme d'affaires, un entrepreneur américain et le propriétaire des Red Wings de Détroit de la Ligue nationale de hockey et des Tigers de Détroit de la Ligue majeure de baseball.


Background.

In mid-1943, in the wake of the Guadalcanal campaign, the Allies launched their next offensive in the Solomon Islands, focused upon seizing the major Japanese airstrip at Munda on New Georgia Island. After the fall of Munda on 4–5 August, and defeat in the Battle of Vella Gulf on 6–7 August, the Japanese decided to evacuate their garrisons in the central Solomons, firstly moving to Baanga Island while planning to bring forces south from Rabaul for a potential counterattack.  On 15 August, the Allies landed on Vella Lavella, bypassing the main Japanese troop concentration on Kolombangara. To maintain contact with these troops, and ensure their later withdrawal, the Japanese planned to establish a staging base at Horaniu, on the northern tip of Vella Lavella.  Commanded by Rear Admiral Matsuji Ijuin, the destroyers,,, and left Rabaul on 17 August to rendezvous with a troop convoy from Buin, on Bougainville. This convoy included 13 barges, four motor torpedo boats, the subchasers "Cha-12" and "Cha-5", and a "Soukoutei-class" armored boat. The troops embarked consisted of two Imperial Japanese Army companies and an Imperial Japanese Navy platoon.

Battle.

After the Japanese force was located by Allied reconnaissance aircraft, Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson, commander of the Third Amphibious Force, dispatched a division of four destroyers from Purvis Bay on Florida Island to intercept them. This force consisted of,,, and, under Captain Thomas J. Ryan. They departed their anchorage at 15:27 on 17 August and began a fast run up the New Georgia Sound, also known as "The Slot". When Ryan's destroyers were off the north coast of Kolombangara, lookouts on watch saw a burst of anti-aircraft fire in the distance, giving away the position of the Japanese convoy.  Despite a full moon, visibility was limited to due to low lying clouds and intermittent rain showers. However, at about 23:30, the Japanese convoy was attacked by eight AirSols Avenger torpedo bombers, and forced to scatter, although no ships were damaged. Two of the escorts, "Isokaze" and "Shigure", sailing abreast, began herding the smaller craft back into formation, while "Sazanami" and "Hamakaze" continued on a northwesterly course. Ryan was advised by the Avengers the Japanese ships were still heading for Vella Lavella, although his destroyers were detected shortly afterwards by a Japanese reconnaissance aircraft, which began circling in preparation for an attack. The convoy was still reforming, when at 00:29 on 18 August, Ryan's radar detected the Japanese destroyers to the northwest, at a range of, then the Japanese barges; at 00:32, Japanese lookouts spotted the U.S. destroyers, which had closed to.  The Japanese convoy was still short of its destination, and Ijuin was under orders to avoid decisive engagement. He dispatched two of his destroyers to turn to the north in an effort to lure the U.S. force away from the troop carrying vessels. To conceal his position, Ryan decided not to use his deck guns, and began maneuvering for a torpedo attack on the Japanese destroyers, rather than attacking the barges. This surprised Ijuin who had expected the opposite. Around 00:40, the Japanese aircraft dropped several flares over the U.S. ships, giving away their location, and Ryan turned back to engage the convoy to his east. Ijuin, ordered his ships to begin firing torpedoes six minutes later, loosing 31 between 00:50 and 00:54 at a range of. By making a series of turns to avoid the Japanese barges, the American destroyers unintentionally avoided all 31 torpedoes, and around 00:56, the Japanese gunners opened fire. However, to avoid revealing their position, their searchlights were turned off, and no damage was inflicted on Ryan's destroyers.  After a series of turns, the U.S. destroyers opened fire with radar controlled 6-inch guns at 00:58, which damaged "Hamakaze", while "Chevalier" loosed a salvo of four torpedoes towards "Shigure" from a distance of. This attack was unsuccessful. The Japanese ships laid down a smokescreen and began to zigzag to throw off the U.S. gunners' aim. Torpedo attacks by both "Shigure" and "Isokaze" were also unsuccessful, and was followed by an inaccurate radar report that another U.S. naval force was advancing from the south. Ijuin could not afford to lose any of his destroyers, and after an ineffective long-range exchange of torpedoes and gunfire, he ordered them to withdraw at about 01:00. Ryan's ships kept firing until the Japanese were out of range, then pursued them, moving onto a parallel course, while undertaking evasive maneuvers until 01:11 to avoid any torpedoes that might have been fired. At this time, "Isokaze" fired a torpedo salvo from, which failed to score a hit, but in return was damaged by an American 5-inch shell, wounding several sailors.  Due to a mechanical fault on "Chevalier", the Americans were unable to catch the fast-moving Japanese destroyers, who were withdrawing at. Ryan turned back to locate the troop convoy, but the small craft had taken advantage of the destroyer contest to disperse; although the Americans managed to sink five, the majority subsequently escaped. Harassed by the Japanese reconnaissance aircraft, Ryan's destroyers returned to Tulagi.

Aftermath.

As a result of the battle, a total of five Japanese auxiliary ships were sunk. This included two subchasers, two motor torpedo boats, and one powered barge with an unknown number of personnel killed or injured. In addition, two destroyers, "Hamakaze" and "Isokaze", were slightly damaged, although this was not significant and both took part in further actions three days later. Despite these losses, the Japanese saved the majority of their barges which spent 18 August quietly lying in hiding along the northern coast of Vella Lavella and were subsequently able to land 390 troops on 19 August. These personnel established a barge base at Horaniu, while Ijuin's force returned to Rabaul believing that they had sunk one U.S. destroyer.  The Japanese withdrawal in the central Solomons continued throughout August and September. After Baanga Island was evacuated on 22 August, the Japanese garrison withdrew to Arundel Island, and over the course of a month they fought a series of delaying actions there until late September. Meanwhile, on Vella Lavella, Horaniu fell to Allied forces on 14 September, while the base's 600 personnel were pushed into a small perimeter on the northwestern part of the island. They were withdrawn on the night of 6–7 October, along with almost 10,000 troops that were evacuated from Kolombangara to Choisel and Bougainville.

The Battle off Horaniu (Japanese: 第一次ベララベラ海戦) was a minor naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought near Vella Lavella, in the Solomon Islands. On the night of 17–18 August, four U.S. Navy destroyers intercepted an Imperial Japanese Navy convoy carrying troops to Horaniu, on the northern coast of Vella Lavella, where they were to establish a barge base to support the movement of troops through the region.

La bataille d'Horaniu est une bataille navale de la guerre dans le Pacifique pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, qui a eu lieu la nuit du 17 au entre la Marine impériale japonaise et la marine américaine. La bataille, qui s'insère dans le cadre de la campagne des îles Salomon, a eu lieu au large de l'île de Vella Lavella dans les Salomon.