TFP Quantum Interference

 

Temporal Flow Physics: A New Interpretation of Quantum Interference

Beyond Wavefunctions: How Temporal Flows Create Quantum Behavior

For decades, we've struggled with the interpretation of quantum mechanics. What does the wavefunction physically represent? Why do particles behave as waves? What actually happens during measurement? Today, I'd like to share a new perspective that I've been developing: Temporal Flow Physics (TFP).

The Double-Slit Experiment Revisited

Let's start with the iconic double-slit experiment. In standard quantum mechanics, we describe a particle approaching two slits with a wavefunction:

$$\psi(x) = A \left( e^{i p_1 x / \hbar} + e^{i p_2 x / \hbar} \right)$$

The resulting probability distribution shows the familiar interference pattern:

$$|\psi(x)|^2 = 2A^2 \left( 1 + \cos\left( \frac{(p_1 - p_2)x}{\hbar} \right) \right)$$

But what is this wavefunction? What is actually interfering? Standard quantum mechanics offers remarkable predictive power but leaves us with a mathematical formalism that seems detached from physical reality.

The Temporal Flow Alternative

In Temporal Flow Physics, I propose that what we perceive as quantum particles are actually localized fluctuations in a more fundamental substrate - temporal flows. These flows represent the fundamental units of physical reality from which space, time, and matter emerge.

When a "particle" encounters a double-slit, here's what happens:

1. The particle is actually a localized flow fluctuation δF(x)
2. This fluctuation propagates through both slits as δF₁(x) and δF₂(x)
3. The combined flow field after the slits is δF(x) = δF₁(x) + δF₂(x)
4. Observable patterns emerge from correlations in these flow fields

For plane waves, this gives us:

$$\delta F(x) = A \left( e^{i k_1 x} + e^{i k_2 x} \right)$$

And the intensity pattern:

$$|\delta F(x)|^2 = 2A^2 \left( 1 + \cos((k_1 - k_2)x) \right)$$

This looks identical to the quantum result! But instead of abstract probability amplitudes, we're dealing with actual physical flow fields whose coherence creates the interference pattern.

Measurement and Decoherence: A Physical Mechanism

One of the most puzzling aspects of quantum mechanics is the "collapse of the wavefunction" during measurement. In TFP, this becomes much more intuitive.

When we measure which slit the particle goes through, we're physically disrupting the temporal flow alignment between δF₁ and δF₂. The coherent sum breaks down into incoherent flows, and the interference term vanishes:

$$\langle \delta F_1 \delta F_2^* \rangle \to 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad |\delta F(x)|^2 \to |\delta F_1(x)|^2 + |\delta F_2(x)|^2$$

This isn't a mysterious "collapse" - it's a physical process where the detector's flows entangle with our particle's flows, disrupting the coherence.

Quantifying Coherence Decay

In TFP, we can precisely model how coherence decays. For a two-path interferometer, the coherence factor is:

$$\gamma(t) = \langle \delta F_1(t) \delta F_2(t) \rangle$$

Assuming Gaussian-distributed misalignment between flow segments, visibility decays as:

$$V(t) = V_0 , e^{-\sigma^2(t) / (2 \sigma_0^2)}$$

Where σ²(t) is the variance of temporal flow rates between paths, and σ₀² is a normalization parameter (a Planck-scale variance in our theory).

Connecting to Observable Quantities

In an optical experiment, if E₁(t) and E₂(t) are the electric field amplitudes of two interferometer arms, the observed intensity is:

$$I(t) \propto |E_1(t) + E_2(t)|^2 = |E_1|^2 + |E_2|^2 + 2 , \text{Re} [ E_1^* E_2 , \gamma(t) ]$$

The coherence factor γ(t) in TFP decays due to temporal flow misalignment:

$$\gamma(t) = e^{ - \lambda \int_0^t \Delta u^2(t') dt' }$$

where Δu(t) = u₁(t) - u₂(t) is the flow rate difference between arms, and λ is a decay constant fixed by Planck-scale discreteness.

Testable Predictions

This leads to our experimental prediction:

$$V(t) = V_0 , \exp\left(- \lambda \int_0^t \left[u_1(t') - u_2(t')\right]^2 dt'\right)$$

Unlike standard quantum mechanics, this formula ties visibility decay directly to physical differences in temporal flow rates between paths. By manipulating these differences (through path length changes, dispersion, or environmental coupling), we can test the TFP prediction against standard decoherence models.

Beyond Interference

The implications of TFP extend far beyond interference patterns. This framework potentially explains:

• How spacetime emerges from temporal flow correlations
• Why quantum entanglement exists (shared flow history)
• How gravity and quantum mechanics might be unified

Moving Forward

I believe Temporal Flow Physics offers a promising new perspective on quantum phenomena - one that maintains the mathematical power of quantum mechanics while providing a more intuitive physical picture. By reinterpreting quantum effects as emergent behaviors of temporal flows, we might finally bridge the conceptual gap between quantum mechanics and our physical intuition.

In future posts, I'll explore how TFP addresses other quantum phenomena like entanglement, tunneling, and the emergence of spacetime geometry. I welcome your thoughts, questions, and critiques as we explore this new approach to fundamental physics.

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What aspects of quantum mechanics do you find most puzzling? Let me know in the comments, and I'll address how TFP might provide a new perspective.