Measured distribution of cloud chamber tracks from radioactive decay: a new empirical approach to investigating the quantum measurement problem

Measured distribution of cloud chamber tracks from radioactive decay: a new empirical approach to investigating the quantum measurement problem | 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 Measured distribution of cloud chamber tracks from radioactive decay: a new empirical approach to investigating the quantum measurement problem Jonathan Schonfeld This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-892640/v5 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 01 Jan, 2022 Read the published version in Open Physics → Version 5 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Abstract Using publicly available video of a diffusion cloud chamber with a very small radioactive source, I measure the spatial distribution of where tracks start, and consider possible implications. This is directly relevant to the quantum measurement problem and its possible resolution, and appears never to have been done before. The raw data are relatively uncontrolled, leading to caveats that should guide future, more tailored experiments. Aspects of the results may suggest a modification to Born’s rule at very small wavefunction, with possibly profound implications for the detection of extremely rare events such as proton decay, but other explanations are not ruled out. Speculatively, I introduce two candidate small-wavefunction Born rule modifications, a hard cutoff, and an offset model with a stronger underlying physical rationale. Track distributions from decays in cloud chambers represent a previously unappreciated way to probe the foundations of quantum mechanics, and a novel case of wavefunctions with macroscopic signatures. Atomic and Molecular Physics Scattering Theoretical Physics quantum measurement quantum mechanics cloud chamber Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files Framecounter010322Figure2a.xlsx Framecounter010322bFigure2b.xlsx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 01 Jan, 2022 Read the published version in Open Physics → Version 5 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions 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. 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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-892640","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":76108286,"identity":"92c27e89-96f5-4e70-903f-b2a25679b108","order_by":0,"name":"Jonathan 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