Raynergy-svg/ccr-coherent-capture-theory: CCT T-series v1.0 — Coherent Capture Theory Initial Release

Coherent Capture Theory — Full Empirical Test Series (19 Tests) Multi-instrument analysis of chemical coherence in open clusters and the Milky Way field star population using GALAH DR4 (917,588 stars) and APOGEE DR17 (OCCAM VAC, 2,515 stars). Key Results | Test | Finding | Significance | |------|---------|-------------| | T9 | Open clusters carry distinct C/O fingerprints (GALAH, 655 clusters) | KW p < 10⁻¹⁰ | | T-APOGEE | Independently confirmed in APOGEE (85 clusters) | KW p = 8.8×10⁻¹⁰⁴ | | T10 | Chemical coherence is spatially independent | Mantel p = 0.60 | | T14 | Coherence degrades on τ = 1.29 Gyr timescale | Spearman p = 4×10⁻³ | | T15 | Multi-element fingerprint: C/O predicts Mg/Fe (Fisher OR = 4.69) | p = 2.7×10⁻³ | | T16b | 2× enrichment of dissolved members in field (intra-GALAH) | 5 clusters sig | | T16c | Enrichment flat 0–10 Gyr — fingerprint is permanent (τ > 10 Gyr) | AIC favors flat | | T16d | Ba/Fe (5th dim, not used in matching) confirms 97.2% of clusters | Wilcoxon p = 10⁻⁴¹ | | T16e | Kinematic residual: matched stars 5.2% closer in RV | Wilcoxon p = 10⁻³⁷ | | T17 | No decay in surviving clusters — survivorship bias | All ρ negative | | T18 | Alpha 2× tighter than s-process in 98% of clusters | Wilcoxon p = 10⁻⁹⁸ | | T19 | Outer disk more coherent; persists after [Fe/H] control | Spearman p = 10⁻⁹ | | T20c | Candidate dissolved NGC 6253 members identified (4 stars) | Follow-up needed | Key Conclusions Chemical coherence is real and instrument-independent — confirmed across GALAH and APOGEE The fingerprint is multi-dimensional — correlated across CNO, alpha, and s-process channels The fingerprint is permanent — no decay detected over 0–10 Gyr with fixed-threshold matching Dissolved cluster members are recoverable — 3× enrichment in field stars, confirmed by independent Ba/Fe and kinematic channels Contents 25 analysis scripts (T5–T20c) All results tables, plots, and output files MNRAS-format paper (paper/certan2026_cct.tex) MIT licensed for full reproducibility Citation Certan, D. (2026). The Chemical Memory of the Milky Way: Permanent Multi-Element Fingerprints in Open Clusters and Their Dissolved Field Star Populations