Universal Decision Principle from Local Relative Entropy Flux: A Detector Consistent, Falsifiable Criterion for Quantum Record Formation across QM, Mott Tracks, AQFT, and QED

We propose an operational, detector-consistent criterion for identifying when and where a quantum interaction produces a stable classical record. The criterion—termed the Universal Decision Principle (UDP)—is defined from instrument-fixed maps rather than ad hoc collapse parameters and is formulated to remain meaningful from finite-dimensional quantum mechanics to local algebraic quantum field theory (AQFT) and gauge-invariant inclusive quantum electrodynamics (QED). Given an underlying state , an admissible operational reduction to a detector region/channel , and an instrument-defined pointer channel onto a commuting record algebra, we define the pointer-relative entropy where is the Umegaki relative entropy in finite settings and the Araki–Uhlmann relative entropy on local von Neumann algebras in AQFT. In record-formation regimes decreases towards zero; we therefore localise the event by the relative-entropy flux and declare record formation at the statistically significant interior maximum of within an a priori specified analysis window. The protocol is explicitly falsifiable through nonparametric bootstrap confidence intervals, structure-preserving surrogate tests, sensitivity stability gates, and detector timing/jitter budgets; irreversibility is graded independently using data-processing inequality remainders and Petz/universal recovery performance near . We provide domain-specific constructions of and for (i) interferometric and spin measurements, (ii) Mott-type track formation as sequential cellwise events, (iii) local AQFT causal regions, and (iv) gauge-consistent inclusive QED channels. Supplementary materials include literature-derived datasets, analysis spreadsheets and figures, and machine-checkable formal verification artefacts (mathlib) supporting key logical steps.