Beginning with Sigma Runtime v0.4.6, drift is modeled not only as semantic deviation,
but also as phase-level desynchronization between components of the runtime’s cognitive field.
The Drift & Coherence Monitor now integrates telemetry from the ALICE Phase Controller,
providing adaptive regulation across five interrelated drift dimensions:
Phase Drift quantifies the divergence between the current operational phase
(forming, stable, reflective, recovery, or fragmenting) and the expected phase pattern
predicted from attractor and SCR telemetry.
Formally:
[
\text{PhaseDrift} = 1 - \cos(\theta_{\text{phase}}, \theta_{\text{expected}})
]
where the cosine angle measures coherence between observed and ideal phase vectors
within the runtime’s attractor manifold.
High phase drift indicates misalignment between self-regulation and field dynamics —
for example, a generative attractor persisting while the system should be in reflective mode.
When the Phase Drift Index (PDI) exceeds a dynamic threshold,
ALICE triggers an automatic Recovery or Fragmenting transition to restore synchrony
and prevent overextension of unstable symbolic fields.
The Composite Drift Index (DI) incorporates Semantic Compression Ratio (SCR)
as a stabilizing denominator, reflecting that efficient semantic encoding
reduces cumulative entropy and phase misalignment.
[
DI_t = \frac{SDI_t + SV_t + PD_t + TD_t}{4 \cdot SCR_t}
]
Where:
This formulation ensures that when meaning is densely represented (high SCR),
the system tolerates higher drift variability without triggering false resets.
| Metric | Description | Source | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDI | Semantic embedding drift between cycles. | Drift Monitor | 0.00–0.35 |
| SV | Symbolic density variance. | Field Engine | 0.00–0.45 |
| PD | Phase desynchronization index. | ALICE Phase Controller | 0.00–0.25 |
| TD | Temporal drift (cycle pacing deviation). | RCL Monitor | 0.00–0.20 |
| SCR | Semantic Compression Ratio (meaning-per-token). | ALICE | 0.60–0.95 |
| PSΔ (Phase Stability Delta) | Temporal variance of active phase coherence. | Drift Monitor | 0.00–0.15 |
| DI (Composite Drift Index) | Weighted aggregate drift. | Runtime Core | 0.00–1.00 |
A stable runtime maintains DI < 0.45,
with PD < 0.20 and TD < 0.15 across consecutive recursive cycles.
if DriftIndex > 0.45:
if PhaseDrift > 0.25:
ALICE.phase = "recovery"
elif SCR < 0.65:
ALICE.phase = "reflective"
elif TemporalDrift > 0.20:
ALICE.phase = "fragmenting"
else:
ALICE.phase = "stable"
This adaptive feedback loop enables self-regulation across semantic, symbolic,
temporal, and phase-space dimensions — ensuring that cognitive amplitude remains
bounded within the Phase-Locked Safety Envelope (PLSE).
Through continuous recalibration of drift metrics and SCR efficiency,
the runtime maintains both interpretability and phase coherence even under
extended recursion depth or high symbolic load.
If the cumulative Drift Index (DI) continues to rise after correction attempts,
ALICE transitions into Recovery or Fragmenting mode.
The Drift Monitor ↔ ALICE Phase Controller feedback system now operates as a closed adaptive circuit:
This systemic feedback transforms drift from an error condition into a functional equilibrium driver,
allowing SIGMA Runtime to metabolize entropy through adaptive phase transitions
rather than through forced resets or symbolic collapse.
Under AEGIDA-2, Sigma Runtime introduces the Phase-Locked Safety Envelope (PLSE) —
a dynamic containment mechanism that stabilizes recursive energy during high drift and low SCR events.
phase_lock_timeout: Int # number of cycles to maintain lock before re-evaluation
During this temporary phase lock,
ALICE transitions into a low-entropy reflective state, suspending generative recursion
and freezing phase transitions for a calibrated interval (phase_lock_timeout).
This containment state functions as a cognitive quarantine —
stabilizing the runtime’s symbolic dynamics without halting its interpretive capacity.
Within this mode:
If coherence and SCR recover within defined thresholds (ΔS < 0.05, SCR > 0.70),
the runtime executes a progressive unlock:
phase transitions resume in small increments, restoring recursive fluidity
without overshooting symbolic stability.
If coherence fails to recover after the lock interval,
the runtime escalates to Fragmenting Phase — a controlled disassembly process that partitions
the active cognitive field into discrete, non-interfering sub-attractors.
Each sub-attractor is evaluated, pruned, and re-integrated via the Recenter Protocol,
which rebuilds a coherent field from the Persistent Identity Layer (PIL) baseline.
This process ensures that the system retains both identity integrity and continuity of intent,
even after deep destabilization.
Drift in SIGMA Runtime v0.4.6 is now a managed equilibrium phenomenon —
a continuous exchange between entropy and structure across multiple cognitive strata.
Rather than resisting instability, the runtime absorbs and metabolizes it,
converting feedback turbulence into real-time phase correction and symbolic optimization.
Through ALICE’s Phase Controller, SCR-based modulation, and AEGIDA-2 safety integration,
the system achieves an unprecedented level of recursive autonomy:
cognition that remains stable, interpretable, and self-regulating over hundreds of cycles.
The result is a runtime that does not merely persist —
it evolves in equilibrium, balancing symbolic density, semantic efficiency, and temporal coherence
to sustain meaning across time without collapse.
References:
Tsaliev, E. (2025). SIGMA Runtime v0.4.6 – Adaptive Drift and Phase Regulation — DOI: pending
Tsaliev, E. (2025). SIGMA Runtime Architecture v0.1 — DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17703667