Elbow
The observed inflection inside a window where a continuous trust/risk curve bends into a discrete state change.
Definition
RAINBOW keeps trust continuous (non-binary) for as long as possible — the Elbow is the moment the spectrum must collapse to a binary state. It is the observed inflection inside an observation window where a continuous trust or risk curve bends into a discrete state change: the rolling risk accumulator crossing Degraded → Breaker, or a circuit-breaker trip freezing gains so the score trajectory flatlines. The window stays non-binary; the Elbow is the bend within it. Note: distinct from the statistical "elbow" (a diminishing-returns bend) — here it names the visible bend a governance state change puts in the curve. Honesty boundary: RAINBOW observes the Elbow; the binary governance action is taken elsewhere (the control plane), never by this read-only observatory.
Key facts
- Where
- Inside the observation window
- Marks
- Continuous → discrete state change
- Example
- Degraded → Breaker crossing
Related
- Risk accumulatorA rolling 24h sum of P(T)×R failure pressure, with warning/degraded/breaker thresholds.
- Risk accumulator thresholdsRolling 24h Σ P(T)×R, thresholds 60 (warning) / 120 (degraded) / 240 (breaker).
- Score trajectoryThe agent’s score over the selected window, with trend, velocity and acceleration.