characterize-anomaly

Purpose

Characterize an observation that departs from an expected pattern and separate signal from measurement or protocol artifact.

Input contract

required: [observation, reference_pattern, condition_records]
optional: [uncertainty_estimates, replication_records, artifact_hypotheses]
constraints: [anomaly status requires a defined comparison and condition context]

Procedure

1. Define the expected pattern and comparison basis.
2. Quantify the departure with uncertainty and condition alignment.
3. Test plausible data, protocol, and mechanism explanations.
4. Classify the anomaly and identify discriminating follow-up evidence.

If the anomaly is reproducible and not explained by a recording artifact, consider generate-competing-hypotheses as the next tactic.

Output contract

produces: [anomaly_description, comparison_basis, explanation_set, discriminating_evidence]
delta_fields: [findings, evidence_updates, uncertainties, recommended_jumps]

Quality gates

• The reference pattern and departure measure are explicit.
• Artifact explanations are checked before causal interpretations.

Failure and counterexamples

Do not label a rare value anomalous without a comparison distribution or ignore changed measurement conditions.

Provenance map

• resolved: characterize-anomaly