# EsoF Label Migration — `NEUTRAL` → `UNKNOWN`

Landed in `exp/green-s6-esof-aem-shadow-2026-04-21` on 2026-04-21.

## What changed

`Observability/esof_advisor.py` emits `UNKNOWN` where it previously emitted `NEUTRAL` (mid-band, `-0.05 < advisory_score <= 0.05`). All downstream consumers keep a `NEUTRAL` alias so historical CH rows and replays continue to resolve.

## Why

Findings from the 637-trade EsoF retrospective (`prod/docs/EsoF_BLUE_IMPLEMENTATION_CURR_AND_RESEARCH.md`) show the mid-band isn't a benign middle — it's the **worst-ROI regime**, corresponding to states where the constituent liq/session/DoW/slot/cell signals are **in conflict**. "NEUTRAL" connoted "no strong read, probably fine"; the data says the opposite. The orchestrator-top EsoF gate uses `UNKNOWN` → `0.25x` sizer mult to encode "stand mostly aside" instead of "trade normally".

## Touched files

- `Observability/esof_advisor.py` — emitter renamed; `LABEL_COLOR` carries both keys.
- `Observability/esof_gate.py` — `S6_MULT`, `IRP_PARAMS`, Strategy A mult map all keyed on `UNKNOWN` with a `NEUTRAL` alias entry.
- `nautilus_dolphin/nautilus_dolphin/nautilus/esf_alpha_orchestrator.py` — new GREEN-only `esof_sizing_table` looks up by label; missing/None label defaults to `UNKNOWN`.

## CH / HZ

- CH `dolphin.trade_events`, `dolphin.esof_advisory_log`: no DDL change (labels are strings). Historical rows keep `NEUTRAL`; new rows get `UNKNOWN`. Any dashboard/query filtering on the label needs to `IN ('NEUTRAL','UNKNOWN')` or be migrated.
- HZ `DOLPHIN_FEATURES.esof_advisor_latest`: next advisor tick overwrites with `UNKNOWN`. Consumers reading stale snapshots across the cutover should treat both as equivalent.

## Rollback

Revert the three files above. The `NEUTRAL` alias means a partial rollback (advisor only) is safe without cascading breakage.