gPV: A New Physical Theory of Wavefunction Collapse

This paper introduces the gPV model, a theoretical framework that proposes a gravitational–space–time reaction as the physical cause of quantum wavefunction collapse. Unlike traditional interpretations of quantum mechanics, which associate collapse with the observer or the act of measurement, the gPV model describes collapse as an objective physical process triggered by the emergence of multiple physically distinguishable branches of a quantum system. The central concept of the model is the number of effective branches (Neff), which represents the number of mutually distinguishable alternatives generated by a quantum system through interaction with its environment. The gPV reaction is activated when Neff exceeds one, leading to a rapid collapse of the coherent wavefunction into a single localized particle event. The model provides a quantitative description of collapse time, placing it in the picosecond range, which explains why the process has not yet been directly observed. The paper analyzes the double-slit experiment in three configurations and shows that collapse is not caused by measurement itself, but by the detection of distinguishable branches. This offers a consistent physical explanation for the disappearance or preservation of interference patterns. In addition, the model connects quantum collapse with the geometrical evolution of the universe (1D → 2D → 3D), proposing a unified framework that links quantum mechanics, classical physics, and cosmology. Within this interpretation, gPV acts as a stabilizing mechanism of reality, preventing permanent branching of quantum possibilities and ensuring the emergence of a single consistent physical world. The gPV model thus provides an objective, physically grounded alternative to observer-dependent interpretations of quantum mechanics and opens new directions for research into the relationship between quantum decoherence, gravity, and the structure of space–time.