Quantum Measurement as Virtual-Real Domain Transition: Resolving the Measurement Problem Through Dual Regulator Framework

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Authors: Eric Needham
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Abstract

This paper presents a finite, regulator-based resolution of the quantum measurement problem, establishing measurement as a physical, time-resolved domain transition rather than an instantaneous postulate or observer-dependent process. The framework introduces a two-domain structure: a virtual domain, governed by momentum-space dynamics and regulated by the finite invariant Λφ, and a real domain, governed by on-shell observables regulated by the Resolution Gap (RG). Measurement is shown to correspond to a finite transition between these domains, with a calculable characteristic timescale derived from first principles. This eliminates instantaneous wavefunction collapse, resolves the Zeno paradox, and restores physical causality without modifying standard quantum dynamics. The Born rule emerges naturally from equal coupling across the measurement interface, without additional axioms or interpretive assumptions. Decoherence is reinterpreted as a regulator-mediated rate process rather than a substitute for collapse. A companion computational validation script is provided, numerically confirming the derived constants, measurement timescales, and domain-regulator relationships. All results are reproducible using standard numerical libraries. This work serves as Paper I in a planned sequence addressing foundational inconsistencies in quantum field theory, beginning with measurement as the necessary entry point for restoring finiteness, causality, and physical interpretation. Licenses Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International

Fields of Study & Subjects

Quantum Mechanics and Applications Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories Quantum Information and Cryptography

Publication details

Journal / source
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Publication date
17 January 2026
Document type
Preprint