Information-Induced Quantum Measurement: Entropy Production and the Dynamical Origin of Wavefunction Collapse

Information-Induced Quantum Measurement: Entropy Production and the Dynamical Origin of Wavefunction Collapse | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Information-Induced Quantum Measurement: Entropy Production and the Dynamical Origin of Wavefunction Collapse Thummala Lokesh kumar reddy This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8810607/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The quantum measurement problem arises from the coexistence of unitary Schr¨odinger evolution with the apparent nonunitary collapse of quantum states during observation. Despite extensive theoretical development, no consensus has been reached on a microscopic physical mechanism for state reduction within standard quantum theory. In this work, we present a complete dynamical theory of quantum measurement in which wavefunction collapse emerges from irreversible information transfer and entropy production in realistic system–detector–environment interactions. Starting from microscopic Hamiltonian models, we derive a stochastic nonlinear evolution equation for conditioned quantum states without introducing additional axioms or phenomenological parameters. We demonstrate that the effective collapse rate is uniquely determined by environmental entropy production and remains well-defined in thermal, non-Markovian, chaotic, and zero-temperature regimes. Using stochastic calculus and martingale theory, we establish the dynamical emergence of the Born probability rule and prove almost-sure convergence of measurement trajectories to definite outcomes. The theory exhibits robust many-body amplification, universal behavior in nonlinear detectors, and mathematical well-posedness in both finite- and infinite-dimensional settings. Compatibility with algebraic quantum field theory, renormalization theory, and stochastic semiclassical gravity is established, ensuring consistency with relativistic and high-energy physics. Extensive numerical simulations confirm analytical predictions, and a comprehensive experimental program is proposed, together with rigorous validation and replication protocols. Logical analysis demonstrates compatibility with Bell nonlocality, resolution of Wigner’s friend and Frauchiger–Renner paradoxes, and compliance with information-theoretic constraints. These results provide a unified physical explanation of quantum measurement as an emergent nonequilibrium process governed by universal thermodynamic and informational principles, integrating state reduction into the standard dynamical framework of physics. Quantum measurement Wavefunction collapse Entropy production Quantum foundations Open quantum systems Decoherence Information theory Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8810607","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":587193553,"identity":"65499dc2-c9e7-4c4c-ae3c-6b742f230b87","order_by":0,"name":"Thummala Lokesh kumar reddy","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA3klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACPh4gwcPGwCzP3gBkGVgQ1sIG1cJu2HMApEWCeC38DDcSQHyitJx9+OBN2WFpxpnPr274USDBwN/enYBfC2+7seGcc4eN2aVzym72AB0mcebsBvxa+NnYpHnbDiczzs5Ju8ED1GIgkUtQC/tvoJb6hptn0m7+IUoLbxsbM1ALM8MN9mO3ibOF5xiz5Jxz6cyGPTlst2UMJHgI+oWfJ43xw5sya2BUHn92880fGzn+9l78WqCgGYh5DEAsHmKUg0AdELM/IFb1KBgFo2AUjDAAAKe7QNXK5cE8AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Independent researcher","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Thummala","middleName":"Lokesh kumar","lastName":"reddy","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-06 20:19:33","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8810607/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8810607/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":102297531,"identity":"2bf4a556-2faf-4fd5-9f3f-4ed05f3c66f3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-10 10:28:02","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":628004,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"informationinducedmeasurement.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8810607/v1_covered_167da78f-0169-435c-a4d3-819b8355cf99.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eInformation-Induced Quantum Measurement: Entropy Production and the Dynamical Origin of Wavefunction Collapse\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"independent researcher","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":true,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Quantum measurement, Wavefunction collapse, Entropy production, Quantum foundations, Open quantum systems, Decoherence Information theory","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8810607/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8810607/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe quantum measurement problem arises from the coexistence of unitary Schr¨odinger evolution with the apparent nonunitary collapse of quantum states during observation. Despite extensive theoretical development, no consensus has been reached on a microscopic physical mechanism for state reduction within standard quantum theory.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this work, we present a complete dynamical theory of quantum measurement in which wavefunction collapse emerges from irreversible information transfer and entropy production in realistic system–detector–environment interactions. Starting from microscopic Hamiltonian models, we derive a stochastic nonlinear evolution equation for conditioned quantum states without introducing additional axioms or phenomenological parameters.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe demonstrate that the effective collapse rate is uniquely determined by environmental entropy production and remains well-defined in thermal, non-Markovian, chaotic, and zero-temperature regimes. Using stochastic calculus and martingale theory, we establish the dynamical emergence of the Born probability rule and prove almost-sure convergence of \u0026nbsp;measurement trajectories to definite outcomes.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe theory exhibits robust many-body amplification, universal behavior in nonlinear detectors, and mathematical well-posedness in both finite- and infinite-dimensional settings. Compatibility with algebraic quantum field theory, renormalization theory, and stochastic semiclassical gravity is established, ensuring consistency with relativistic and high-energy physics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExtensive numerical simulations confirm analytical predictions, and a comprehensive experimental program is proposed, together with rigorous validation and replication protocols. 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