An Energy-Dissipation Threshold Model for Wave Function Collapse in Open Quantum Systems
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Resumen / Abstract Abstract: The transition from a quantum superposition to a definite classical state remains one of the foundational challenges in physics. We propose a dynamical, objective reduction model where wave function collapse is driven by the exchange and dissipation of energy quanta between a quantum system and an observer/environment. Replacing the abstract notion of "measurement" with a physical resolving-rate threshold, we demonstrate that phase coherence decay is directly coupled to the rate of environmentally-emitted quanta capable of resolving the system's spatial superposition. The model is integrated with the Lindblad Master Equation and Stochastic Schrödinger Equations. Numerical evaluations for an isolated electron and a fullerene molecule, validated quantitatively against published thermal decoherence data (Hackermüller et al. 2004), confirm that the corrected model naturally predicts macro-localization on timescales consistent with experiment, while preserving micro-scale quantum superposition — offering a thermodynamically consistent and empirically calibrated boundary for the quantum-classical transition.
Author: Ratia, Luis
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7211874825
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