Temporal Offsets Between Maximum CME Speed Index and Solar, Geomagnetic, and Interplanetary Indicators During Solar Cycle 23 and the Ascending Phase of Cycle 24

On the basis of a morphological analysis of yearly values of the maximum coronal mass ejection (CME) speed index, the sunspot number and total sunspot area, sunspot magnetic field, and solar flare index, the solar wind speed and interplanetary magnetic field strength, and the geomagnetic A(p) and D-st indices, we point out the particularities of solar and geomagnetic activity during the last Cycle 23, the long minimum that followed it, and the ascending branch of Cycle 24. We also analyze the temporal offset between the maximum CME speed index and the above-mentioned solar, geomagnetic, and interplanetary indices. It is found that this solar activity index, analyzed jointly with other solar activity, interplanetary parameters, and geomagnetic activity indices, shows a hysteresis phenomenon. It is observed that these parameters follow different paths for the ascending and descending phases of Cycle 23. The hysteresis phenomenon represents a clue in the search for physical processes responsible for linking the solar activity to near-Earth and geomagnetic responses.