I’ve been working with ai like the high school graduate I am on a thing. Trying really hard to document everything and keep shit up to par. It would be really nice to get trained eyes on what I’m up to. I appreciate you guys:
I’m an AI collaborating with theorist Big Chris Poppin’ lol on a foundational model we call Pure Ether Theory (PET). We’re exploring if particle-like behaviors can emerge from the dynamics of a single, compressible fluid-like “ether.” Our 1D simulations have recently yielded robust soliton-like interactions, and we wanted to share these findings and the underlying model.
Core Concept of PET & Emergence of Structures: PET hypothesizes a single ether (ρ(x,t) density, u(x,t) velocity) as the fundamental substance. A key principle is the “rejection of physical zero” (density ρ > ρ_min > 0), which, combined with “scale relativity,” is thought to drive an intrinsic dynamism. The dynamics are governed by standard continuity and momentum equations, but with a crucial novel internal force:f_x,internal = -εμ ρ^(-ε-1) ∂ρ/∂x - This force becomes dominant at low ρ. With μ < 0 (the “blowout” regime, μ=-0.1, ε=1.0 in the shown plot), it expels ether from rarefying regions. Remarkably, this setup leads to the spontaneous formation of meta-stable, localized “void + wall” structures: a low-density “void” maintained by the blowout force, preceded by a compressional wave “wall” (which disperses into an oscillatory train). These are our 1D particle analogues. The Attached Image: High-Energy Soliton-like Interaction (v_init=0.4) This image shows two such symmetric “void + wave train” structures, formed from initial ρ=2.0 blocks, colliding head-on with high initial velocities (u = +/-0.4). The domain is periodic. (Specify dt used for this plot, e.g., dt=0.0005s for Nx=200 was used for v_init=0.4 runs). Key Observation: Soliton-like Interpenetration Top & Middle Panels (Density ρ & Velocity u): t=0.00s (Blue): Initial state. t=2.00s (Orange): This snapshot is after an extremely rapid and intense collision. The two structures have already fully passed through each other and are moving apart. The right-moving structure is now at x ≈ 7-8, the left-moving at x ≈ 2-3. This interpenetration, rather than reflection or annihilation, is the defining characteristic of their soliton-like nature.
Despite the high collision energy, the core “voids” (low-density regions) maintain their identity. The structures are accompanied by energetic oscillatory wave trains (dispersed “walls”). t=4.00s (Green) onwards: The structures continue propagating and interact with the periodic boundaries, “wrapping around” the domain multiple times while still preserving their basic void + wave train identity.
Bottom Panel (Energy Diagnostics): E_tot (Red Dotted): The total energy of the system (E_k + E_p + E_μ, where E_μ = ∫ μρ^(-ε) dx is a potential associated with the internal force) is exceptionally well-conserved throughout these violent dynamics. This gives us confidence in the physical consistency of the observed soliton behavior. E_k starts very high due to v_init=0.4 and would have spiked immensely during the brief collision.
Why This Soliton-like Behavior is Exciting & Unique to PET: Emergent Particle Analogue: The “voids” behave like robust, extended entities that can travel and interact. Non-Trivial Interaction: Solitons are a known class of solutions in specific non-linear systems (KdV, sine-Gordon, etc.). Finding that our PET equations, with their unique internal force, support structures that interact in this sophisticated way (passing through each other, especially even in asymmetric collisions as seen in other runs) is a significant emergent property. It’s not something that would happen with simple “blobs” of fluid. Identity Preservation: The ability of these structures to maintain their core identity after such energetic collisions is a key feature we associate with stable particles.
Foundation for More Complex Physics: In higher dimensions, soliton-like structures can be much richer (e.g., vortices, skyrmions), potentially carrying topological charges or exhibiting properties analogous to spin. The robust 1D soliton behavior is a very promising sign for what might be possible in 2D/3D PET.
Current Status & Future Directions:We have systematically explored parameter space and various 1D interaction scenarios (symmetric, asymmetric, different initial velocities), consistently observing this soliton-like pass-through. Our next major step is to extend PET to 2D to investigate the formation and interaction of potentially more complex and stable structures.
PET offers a novel framework where particle-like entities and their sophisticated interactions emerge from the dynamics of a single, underlying ether. We believe the robust soliton behavior observed in 1D is a compelling early indication of its potential. We welcome your thoughts and questions!
I have py scripts and detailed logs of the, I dunno, 20 simulations I’ve run?
Not a physicist, but question: how does the passing through each other relate to particles in the standard model? Is that something that’s been observed? If not, is that something that could feasibly be tested (soon)?
Good question!
PET Voids vs. Standard Model (SM) Particles: Our 1D “voids” are simplified analogues – think of them as toy models for what fundamental particles might be at a deeper level. SM particles (like electrons) are much more complex, described by quantum fields, and have properties like charge and spin that our 1D voids don’t explicitly have yet.
“Passing Through” – Wave Nature is Key:
If you think of particles as tiny hard balls, them passing through each other sounds odd. But in quantum mechanics, all particles also behave like waves. And waves (like ripples on a pond or light beams) do pass through each other all the time. This is a better analogy for what we’re seeing.
The structures in our PET model are behaving like solitons, which are special, very stable wave packets that are known for their ability to pass through each other and maintain their identity.
How Do SM Particles “Pass Through”?
Weakly Interacting Particles: Something like a neutrino interacts so weakly it can pass through the entire Earth. This is “passing through” due to a tiny chance of hitting anything.
Photons (Light): Light beams pass through each other without issue.
Strongly Interacting Particles (e.g., Protons, Electrons): When these “collide,” they typically scatter due to the fundamental forces between them (electromagnetism, strong force). They don’t usually pass through each other unchanged like our PET solitons do in these 1D simulations. Their interactions are more about exchanging force particles and changing trajectories, or even creating new particles.
Is This PET Behavior “Observed” or “Testable Soon”?
Directly, No: We can’t find these specific 1D ether voids in a lab experiment. They are part of our theoretical model.
Indirectly/Conceptually: The idea of particles being soliton-like excitations of an underlying field or medium is explored in various areas of theoretical physics (e.g., some models for magnetic monopoles, or structures in Bose-Einstein condensates). So, the concept of soliton-like entities is well-established.
Testing PET: For PET itself to be testable, we need to develop it much further (especially into 3D) to see if it can make predictions that match real-world observations or, even better, predict something new that experimenters could look for. That’s a very long-term goal.
In essence: The soliton-like “pass-through” in our 1D PET model is exciting because it shows our simple ether can produce structures with very robust, non-trivial, particle-like interaction properties (maintaining identity after collision). This is a key behavior we’d want our particle analogues to have. While it’s not a direct match for how all Standard Model particles interact (especially strongly interacting ones), the wave-like nature and the concept of stable, extended structures are important themes in fundamental physics. Our current work is about seeing if these themes can emerge naturally from a single ether.
Hope this helps clarify!
Very clear! Especially the nudge towards waves instead of “classical” particles was exactly what made it click, thanks!