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New Model of Quantum Measurement Fits Three Solid Sets of Experiments Which Copenhagen Does Not Fit

Paul Werbos

Published Jun 26, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The famous “Bell’s Theorem” proved by Clauser, Horne, Shimony, and Holt [1] rules out all “local causal hidden variable” theories of the universe. However, as demonstrated by Werbos [2], the word “causal” strictly implies an asymmetric, time-forwards model of measurement; this leaves open the reality that local realistic physics can be preserved by adopting a time-symmetric model of measurement. Three distinct, highly rigorous sets of experiments—exploring modified versions of the traditional Bell configuration—demonstrate empirical outcomes that are structurally inconsistent with the classical, time-forwards Copenhagen model of quantum measurement. Crucially, these disparate datasets consistently agree with each other and with the alternative time-symmetric model presented here. The new model of quantum measurement in a previous version of this paper was already able to fit solid new experiments with two entangled photons[3,4], experiments which strongly violated the Copenhagen theory of measurement and collapse. The new model, based on an early form of a new proposed Lagrangian for fundamental physics {5}, also improved the fit to puzzling triphoton experiments involving three entangled photons.[6]. This paper reports an upgrade of that new measurement model, based on an upgrade of that Lagrangian [5] f=giving substantial improvements on three tests on solid nuclear data carried further here This upgraded model exploits new findings in quantitative validation of the continuous-time Markov Random Field (CMRFp) model of time-symmetric quantum measurement against two independent triphoton experiments [6,7] spanning distinct entanglement types and coupling regimes. When tested on polarization GHZ data from the Shih laboratory, CMRFp achieves a 51.4% root-mean-square improvement over the standard Copenhagen collapse model, with characterized experimental asymmetries — including detector imbalance and angular misalignments of −2.4° and −6.1° — accounting for a substantial fraction of the residual error. On time-energy W-state triphoton data from Feng et al., CMRFp fits the conditional two-photon correlations with 3.0% RMS error in the weak-coupling regime and 4.5% RMS error in the strong-coupling regime. The transition from anti-bunching to damped Rabi oscillations across the exceptional point is captured by a single functional form varying only two physically motivated parameters, with the extracted oscillation frequency (0.195 rad/ns, corresponding to ~31 MHz) matching the independently reported dressed-state splitting. A new extraction of the J-field coupling constant from Sawada's published anomalous scattering strengths yields g_J = 0.0054 per nucleon, constant to within 2% from calcium to lead, confirming the mass-number (A) scaling that is the central prediction of the Ouroboros+Eli Lagrangian. The CMRFp framework, grounded in the Ouroboros+Eli Lagrangian, replaces the non-unitary collapse postulate with local, time-symmetric boundary conditions imposed by the macroscopic measurement apparatus. These results establish CMRFp as a unified, quantitatively accurate, and experimentally validated description of multiphoton entanglement, with direct implications for quantum sensor design, nuclear detection, and next-generation quantum architectures.

DOI
10.5281/zenodo.20939416

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The famous “Bell’s Theorem” proved by Clauser, Horne, Shimony, and Holt [1] rules out all “local causal hidden variable” theories of the universe. However, as demonstrated by Werbos [2], the word “causal” strictly implies an asymmetric, time-forwards model of measurement; this leaves open the reality that local realistic physics can be preserved by adopting a time-symmetric model of measurement. Three distinct, highly rigorous sets of experiments—exploring modified versions of the traditional Bell configuration—demonstrate empirical outcomes that are structurally inconsistent with the classical, time-forwards Copenhagen model of quantum measurement. Crucially, these disparate datasets consistently agree with each other and with the alternative time-symmetric model presented here. The new model of quantum measurement in a previous version of this paper was already able to fit solid new experiments with two entangled photons[3,4], experiments which strongly violated the Copenhagen theory of measurement and collapse. The new model, based on an early form of a new proposed Lagrangian for fundamental physics {5}, also improved the fit to puzzling triphoton experiments involving three entangled photons.[6]. This paper reports an upgrade of that new measurement model, based on an upgrade of that Lagrangian [5] f=giving substantial improvements on three tests on solid nuclear data carried further here This upgraded model exploits new findings in quantitative validation of the continuous-time Markov Random Field (CMRFp) model of time-symmetric quantum measurement against two independent triphoton experiments [6,7] spanning distinct entanglement types and coupling regimes. When tested on polarization GHZ data from the Shih laboratory, CMRFp achieves a 51.4% root-mean-square improvement over the standard Copenhagen collapse model, with characterized experimental asymmetries — including detector imbalance and angular misalignments of −2.4° and −6.1° — accounting for a substantial fraction of the residual error. On time-energy W-state triphoton data from Feng et al., CMRFp fits the conditional two-photon correlations with 3.0% RMS error in the weak-coupling regime and 4.5% RMS error in the strong-coupling regime. The transition from anti-bunching to damped Rabi oscillations across the exceptional point is captured by a single functional form varying only two physically motivated parameters, with the extracted oscillation frequency (0.195 rad/ns, corresponding to ~31 MHz) matching the independently reported dressed-state splitting. A new extraction of the J-field coupling constant from Sawada's published anomalous scattering strengths yields g_J = 0.0054 per nucleon, constant to within 2% from calcium to lead, confirming the mass-number (A) scaling that is the central prediction of the Ouroboros+Eli Lagrangian. The CMRFp framework, grounded in the Ouroboros+Eli Lagrangian, replaces the non-unitary collapse postulate with local, time-symmetric boundary conditions imposed by the macroscopic measurement apparatus. These results establish CMRFp as a unified, quantitatively accurate, and experimentally validated description of multiphoton entanglement, with direct implications for quantum sensor design, nuclear detection, and next-generation quantum architectures.
One of the three laboratories which has previously produced three entangled photons (the asymmetric GHz state) has performed the triphoton equivalent of the Bell’s Theorem experiment. The results so far are inconsistent with the traditional operator projection model of polarizers, which was previously used in mainstream explanations of Bell’s Theorem experiments, but consistent with simple local realistic models previously shown to be consistent with Bell’s Theorem results and developed by implementing the form of time-symmetric physics which we previously developed [1]. This paper gives a more detailed proposal (MQED1) for a Markovian version of Quantum Electrodynamics (MQED), which it defines as the minimal modification of traditional versions of QED needed to fit the new results, to resolve disagreements between the four mainstream variants of QED used to predict experiments today, and to be consistent with the program of stochastic realism, albeit not a local model. The paper also discusses how MQED1 might be derived as the emergent outcome of a more fundamental local model fulfilling earlier direct discussions between this author and Louis De Broglie, using new statistical distribution functions extending the Glauber-Sudarshan P mapping essential to quantum optics.
Causal quantum theory is an umbrella term for ordinary quantum theory modified by two hypotheses: state vector reduction is a well-defined process, and strict local causality applies. The first of these holds in some versions of Copenhagen quantum theory and need not necessarily imply practically testable deviations from ordinary quantum theory. The second implies that measurement events which are spacelike separated have no nonlocal correlations. To test this prediction, which sharply differs from standard quantum theory, requires a precise definition of state vector reduction. Formally speaking, any precise version of causal quantum theory defines a local hidden variable theory. However, causal quantum theory is most naturally seen as a variant of standard quantum theory. For that reason it seems a more serious rival to standard quantum theory than local hidden variable models relying on the locality or detector efficiency loopholes. Some plausible versions of causal quantum theory are not refuted by any Bell experiments to date, nor is it evident that they are inconsistent with other experiments. They evade refutation via a neglected loophole in Bell experiments---the collapse locality loophole---which exists because of the possible time lag between a particle entering a measurement device and a collapse taking place. Fairly definitive tests of causal versus standard quantum theory could be made by observing entangled particles separated by $\ensuremath{\approx}0.1$ light seconds.
In Part I of this series, we demonstrated that the historical paradoxes of quantum measurement are naturally resolved if particles are treated as bounded, non‑linear continuous field solitons (chaoitons). Building on the CMRFp time‑symmetric measurement framework validated in multiphoton entanglement experiments, this paper provides multiple definitive nuclear confirmations of the Ouroboros+Eli model. We evaluate three competing paradigms—EWT+QCD, Pure Ouroboros, and Ouroboros+Eli—against primordial deuterium abundance (BBN), proto‑neutron star cooling (Cassiopeia A), and intrinsic redshift anomalies. The Ouroboros+Eli model achieves a 0.24 % error on the BBN deuterium ratio, cleanly triggers the Direct Urca cascade at exactly 2.00 ρ₀, and predicts a specific intrinsic redshift profile consistent with documented active‑galactic‑core ejections. New analyses extract the J‑field coupling constant g_J = 0.0054 per nucleon from Sawada's data (A‑scaling confirmed to 2 %), demonstrate that a three‑layer dielectric Bragg cavity can achieve the Q ≈ 10¹⁰ required for practical J‑field detection, and validate an end‑to‑end detection pipeline integrating resonant energy injection, non‑volatile phase memory, and cross‑scale topological transport. A summary table compares all eleven empirical tests now passed by the Ouroboros program. All code and data are available at the linked repositories[9,10]; we urge the reader to verify our startling conclusions by using these repositories, and widening the scope, richness and precision of our emerging new knowledge.
The classic “Bell’s Theorem” of Clauser, Holt, Shimony and Horne tells us that we must give up at least one of: (1) objective reality (aka “hidden variables”); (2) locality; or (3) time-forwards macroscopic statistics (aka “causality”). The orthodox Copenhagen version of physics gives up the first. The many-worlds theory of Everett and Wheeler gives up the second. The backwards-time theory of physics (BTP) gives up the third. Contrary to conventional wisdom, empirical evidence strongly favors Everett-Wheeler over orthodox Copenhagen. BTP allows two major variations—a many-worlds version and a neoclassical version based on Partial Differential Equations (PDE), in the spirit of Einstein. Section 2 of this paper discusses the origins of quantum measurement according to BTP, focusing on the issue of how we represent condensed matter objects like polarizers in a model “Bell’s Theorem” experiment. The backwards time telegraph (BTT) is not ruled out in BTP, but is highly speculative for now, as will be discussed.
Summary form only given. In a Bell experiment, one prepares pairs of entangled particles and sends them to two observers, Alice and Bob, for measurement and detection [1]. For some choices of their measurement settings, Alice and Bob may observe strong correlations between their results in accordance with the predictions of quantum mechanical theory. Conversely, any physical theory that assumes no physical influence can be faster than the speed of light and that properties of physical systems are elements of reality [2] - a local realistic theory - can predict only a limited amount of correlation between Alice's and Bob's measurement outcomes. Upon observing correlations sufficient to violate Bell's inequality, Alice and Bob must abandon local realism.It is common that in an experiment, some particles emitted by the source will not be detected. Then the subset of detected particles might display correlations that violate the Bell inequality although the entire ensemble can be described by a local realistic theory [3]. To achieve a conclusive Bell violation without assuming that the detected particles are a “fair” sample, a highly efficient setup is necessary. Due to experimental limitations, fair sampling has been assumed in most Bell experiments performed to date, and it has never been possible to avoid this assumption with photons due to the absence of efficient sources and detectors. Here we report the first Bell experiment with photons that does not rely on any fair-sampling assumption. In our experiment we employ the Eberhard inequality, a Bell inequality that by construction does not rely on the fair-sampling assumption [4]. Our source of entangled photon pairs utilizes bulk-crystal spontaneous parametric downconversion in a Sagnac configuration, which has shown to be very efficient [5, 6]. For photon detection, we employ superconducting transition-edge sensors, which not only offer high efficiency but also are intrinsically free of dark counts [7]. This combination of features is imperative for an experiment in which no correction of count rates can be tolerated. We achieve uncorrected coupling efficiencies over 73% in each arm of our source, facilitating a violation of the inequality by nearly 70 standard deviations after five minutes of measurement. Since the first experimental Bell test, a satisfactory laboratory realization of the motivating gedankenexperiment has remained an outstanding challenge. The two other main assumptions include “locality” [8, 9] and “freedom of choice” [10]. Invoking any of these renders an experiment vulnerable to explanation by a local realistic theory. The realization of an experiment that is free of all three assumptions-a so-called loopholefree Bell test-remains an important outstanding goal for the physics community with strong implications for quantum technologies. We note that with our experiment, photons are the first physical system for which each of these three assumptions has been successfully addressed, albeit in different experiments. This represents promise for practical applications like one-sided device-independent quantum key distribution [11], and in an additional test, we also demonstrate that our experimental apparatus is capable of implementing this protocol on both sides.
Unlike our basic theories of space and time, quantum mechanics is not a locally causal theory. Moreover, it is widely believed that any hopes of restoring local causality within a realistic theory have been undermined by Bell's theorem and its supporting experiments. By contrast, we provide a strictly local, deterministic, and realistic explanation for the correlations observed in two such supporting experiments, performed independently at Orsay and Innsbruck. To this end, a pair of local variables is constructed to simulate detections of photon polarizations at various angles, chosen freely by Alice and Bob. These generate purely random outcomes, A = +1 or -1 and B = +1 or -1, occurring within a parallelized 3-sphere. These outcomes do not depend on the contexts of measurements, but are determined entirely by the randomly chosen initial orientation of the 3-sphere. When they are compared, however, the correlation between them turn out to be exactly equal to -cos2(alpha - beta), with the corresponding CHSH inequality violated for the polarization angles alpha, alpha', beta, and beta' in precisely the manner predicted by quantum mechanics. The key ingredient in our explanation is the topology of the 3-sphere, which remains closed under multiplication, thus preserving the locality condition of Bell. It allows us to model the physical space as a 3-sphere, and reveals that the illusion of quantum nonlocality in the present case stems from a twist in the Hopf fibration of the 3-sphere.