We investigate how coronal mass ejections (CMEs) propagate through, and
interact with, the inner heliosphere between the Sun and Earth, a key question
in CME research and space weather forecasting. CME Sun-to-Earth kinematics are
constrained by combining wide-angle heliospheric imaging observations,
interplanetary radio type II bursts and in situ measurements from multiple
vantage points. We select three events for this study, the 2012 January 19, 23,
and March 7 CMEs. Different from previous event studies, this work attempts to
create a general picture for CME Sun-to-Earth propagation and compare different
techniques for determining CME interplanetary kinematics. Key results are
obtained concerning CME Sun-to-Earth propagation. Our comparison between
different techniques (and data sets) also has important implications for CME
observations and their interpretations. Future CME observations and space
weather forecasting are discussed based on these results. See detail in the
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