A Phenomenological Decomposition of Dark-Sector Observations

his paper proposes a phenomenological framework for separating the observational domains commonly grouped under the labels dark matter and dark energy into a small set of explicit discrepancy quantities. Instead of beginning with ontology-first language that may imply a specific hidden substance or field, the paper defines measurable residual quantities relative to stated reference models: excess radial acceleration in galaxies, excess projected lensing surface density, excess cluster binding density, and the cosmic acceleration term.

The purpose of the framework is not to deny the reality of the observed discrepancies, but to reduce premature ontological commitment and improve problem formulation. By keeping these discrepancy classes distinct in units, extraction procedures, and falsification conditions, the paper provides a more disciplined basis for testing whether they arise from a common underlying law, from several partially related causes, or from fundamentally separate mechanisms.

The paper develops:

• explicit definitions of the primary discrepancy quantities
• procedures for extraction from observational data
• candidate unification tests
• formal falsification criteria
• illustrative cross-domain examples showing where unification attempts must succeed or fail

The central methodological claim is that discrepancy-first analysis is safer than naming-first analysis in underdetermined contexts. Whether the discrepancy classes ultimately unify or remain separate, the framework is intended as a mathematically explicit and observationally grounded basis for comparison among competing interpretations.