Discontinuity, lack of continuity

Major step or shift in a trend or variable that is so drastic it appears to break historical momentum. Disruption, transformation or rupture in a series of events in evolution, or in how to represent it, especially through analysis. An abrupt change from a given state to another state entirely. We say that there is discontinuity, qualitative leap, or mutation; these three terms are more or less interchangeable. In the case of a discontinuity, extrapolating a past trend would inevitably lead to an erroneous view of the future.