# PFES-TR-008 — Knowledge Graph, Authority, and Cross-References

## Scope

PFES maintains three primary knowledge-node classes:

1. reviewed historical claims (`HCLM-*`);
2. current analyzer findings (`ANL-FIND-*`);
3. current emulator findings (`EMU-FIND-*`).

These are not flattened into one undifferentiated truth table. Historical
claims retain source wording and reviewed status. Current findings retain their
proof boundaries. Explicit graph edges connect them where a real engineering
relationship exists.

## Authority

Validated hardware/runtime evidence and exact preserved artifacts outrank
current analytical interpretation; current findings outrank historical theory
within their stated scope. Specifications and service manuals control only the
behavior they document. Historical claims never become authoritative merely
because they resemble a current result.

## Relation semantics

- `corroborates`: current evidence supports the historical claim as written.
- `supports_rejection`: current evidence supports the claim's rejected or
  negative-knowledge disposition.
- `constrains`: the nodes share a topic but the current finding narrows scope.
- `related_to`: source-preserved historical relationship without a stronger
  assertion.
- `supported_by`, `registered_in`, `normalized_into`: artifact and destination
  traceability edges.

## Orphan definition

A node is structurally orphaned only when it lacks source/evidence and a
canonical destination. A historical-only node is not an orphan. A current-only
finding is not an orphan. An evidence artifact is not orphaned when the
artifact index records its path, hash, collection, and retention.

## Maintenance

All future claim or finding additions must update the unified node register,
cross-reference register, evidence index, and orphan audit. Status revisions
must remain explicit and reversible.
