The distribution characteristics of GPS cycle slip over the China mainland and adjacent region during the declining solar activity (2015–2018) period of solar cycle 24

The Global Positioning System (GPS) cycle slip has a marked impact on the application of communication and navigation systems and therefore is one of the main concerns of the user and designer of terminal systems. In this study, we analyzed the temporal and spatial characteristics of cycle slip events using the GPS data detected from 260 observations in the China sector during the period of the year 2015–2018. The results show that the temporal variations of cycle slips are dependent on the local time, seasons, and solar activity. It occurs from 20:00 LT to midnight and more frequently in the equinox months, especially in solar maximum years. The spatial distribution occurs mainly at southern sector below 25°N, which should be associated with the solar condition and ionospheric irregularities in the equatorial region, and the case analyses reveal that the variation of cycle slips has a similar tendency with the ionospheric scintillation monitored at low-latitude station Guangzhou explaining this relationship. Our results reflect the performance of the GPS signals monitored in the China area during the declining period of solar activity to some degree.