The Observer as a Geometric Agent: A Chrono-Geometric Foundation for Quantum Mechanics

The measurement axiom in quantum mechanics—wavefunction collapse—is an ad-hoc postulate that creates a conceptual schism between quantum evolution and classical observation. We propose a new foundation for quantum mechanics that replaces this axiom with a dynamical principle from general relativity. In the Chrono-Geometric framework, a "measurement" is a physical, deterministic process wherein the observer's apparatus induces a localized, microscopic curvature in spacetime, forcing the quantum system into a definite state. This framework provides a physical mechanism for gravitationally-induced collapse and makes a powerful, falsifiable prediction: wavefunction collapse is not instantaneous. Its duration, estimated to be in the attosecond regime, depends on the interaction energy. We propose a definitive experiment to test this, potentially opening the door to tabletop experimental quantum gravity.