Chronon Field Cosmology : Rethinking Expansion and Horizon

Modern cosmology explains large-scale structure through cosmic expansion and an early phase of inflation. While successful, this framework relies on specific initial conditions and introduces unresolved questions regarding causal structure and early-universe coherence. This article proposes Chronon Field Cosmology, a minimal alternative in which spacetime is associated with a scalar field Φ(x) interpreted as a local temporal rate. Rather than invoking superluminal expansion, the model describes the early universe as a system undergoing rapid synchronization of local temporal gradients. In this framework, standard observables are reinterpreted through a temporal–dynamical mapping:– the scale factor follows a(t) ∝ Φ⁻¹(t)– the Hubble parameter is given by H = −Φ̇/Φ– redshift corresponds to a ratio of temporal rates (Φ/Φ₀) The Chronon Field carries no stress–energy contribution and does not modify causal structure or light cones. General relativity remains unchanged at the geometric level, while cosmological dynamics are recast as a relaxation process of temporal gradients. The horizon problem is addressed as a question of phase coherence rather than spatial separation: early homogeneity emerges from synchronization processes analogous to coupled oscillators, eliminating the need for a dedicated inflationary phase. The model leads to direct observational consequences. A full likelihood framework is provided, covering:– H(z) reconstruction and cosmic chronometers– baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) and Alcock–Paczyński tests– angular and luminosity distances– strong-lensing time delays– structure growth via fσ₈ A dimensionless perturbative parameter εΦ is introduced to quantify deviations from ΛCDM, yielding percent-level signatures in F_AP(z), Om(z), and growth observables within currently accessible redshift ranges (z ≈ 0.2–1). All predictions are implemented in a reproducible pipeline, including likelihood modules and MCMC configurations. The associated public code enables direct comparison with observational datasets and provides an explicit experimental window for falsification. This work extends the Chronon Field framework introduced in Time May Not Exist! (2025), and positions temporal coherence as a fundamental driver of cosmological structure, offering a testable alternative to inflation grounded in observable quantities.