What is meant by the term "radio silence"?

A
Stations not directly involved with the on-going distress communications may not transmit on the distress frquency or channel
B
Stations remaining off the air to safeguard proprietary information
C
Two three-minute silent periods, at 15 and 45 minutes after the hour, that provide a transmitting "window" for distressed vessels to transmit distress alerts using J3E
D
Communications on a distress frequency or channel is banned for 24 hours following the cessation of the distress traffic
E