Solar and interplanetary sources of major geomagnetic storms ( Dst ≤ −100 nT) during 1996–2005

We present the results of an investigation of the sequence of events from the Sun to the Earth that ultimately led to the 88 major geomagnetic storms (defined by minimum Dst ≤ −100 nT) that occurred during 1996–2005. The results are achieved through cooperative efforts that originated at the Living with a Star (LWS) Coordinated Data‐Analysis Workshop (CDAW) held at George Mason University in March 2005. On the basis of careful examination of the complete array of solar and in situ solar wind observations, we have identified and characterized, for each major geomagnetic storm, the overall solar‐interplanetary (solar‐IP) source type, the time, velocity, and angular width of the source coronal mass ejection…