Cycle Slip

A cycle slip is an abrupt discontinuity in a GNSS carrier phase observation caused by temporary signal interruption or loss of phase lock between the satellite and receiver. It results in a sudden change of the integer ambiguity value by one or more whole carrier cycles.

In geodesy, cycle slips are critical errors in high-precision GNSS processing because they disrupt the continuity of carrier phase measurements and invalidate previously resolved integer ambiguities. Detecting and repairing cycle slips is essential for maintaining millimeter-level positioning accuracy in applications such as crustal deformation monitoring, reference frame realization, and precise orbit determination.