  A study of the kinematics and arrival times of CMEs at Earth, derived from
time-elongation maps (J-maps) constructed from STEREO/Heliospheric Imager (HI)
observations, provides an opportunity to understand the heliospheric evolution
of CMEs in general. We implement various reconstruction techniques, based on
the use of time-elongation profiles of propagating CMEs viewed from single or
multiple vantage points, to estimate the dynamics of three geo-effective CMEs.
We use the kinematic properties, derived from analysis of the elongation
profiles, as inputs to the Drag Based Model for the distance beyond which the
CMEs cannot be tracked unambiguously in the J-maps. The ambient solar wind into
which these CMEs, which travel with different speeds, are launched, is
different. Therefore, these CMEs will evolve differently throughout their
journey from the Sun to 1 AU. We associate the CMEs, identified and tracked in
the J-maps, with signatures observed in situ near 1 AU by the WIND spacecraft.
By deriving the kinematic properties of each CME, using a variety of existing
methods, we assess the relative performance of each method for the purpose of
space weather forecasting. We discuss the limitations of each method, and
identify the major constraints in predicting the arrival time of CMEs near 1 AU
using heliospheric imager observations.
