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Structural Selection
Definition T.1As stated in the manuscript — not independently proof-checked beyond the v2 audit

Definition T.1 — Massless excitation

Formal statement

An excitation is called massless if its propagation speed is independent of inertial storage and equals the maximum coherence speed ceffc_{\mathrm{eff}}.

Equivalently:

massless excitation  ⟺  v=ceff.\boxed{ \text{massless excitation} \iff v = c_{\mathrm{eff}}. }

This definition is operational and testable. It does not rely on rest mass, dispersion relations, or quantum structure.

Source

Appendix T: Light as Inertial Saturation — Why Massless Excitations Exist — Gravity as a Temporally Closed Dynamical Phase

Gravity as a Temporally Closed Dynamical Phase/34_Appendix T — Light as Inertial Saturation.tex

Revision history

Unchanged from the original manuscript — not among the 12 patches applied in v2. See Open Review for logged gaps that may affect this statement.

Read this result in context on its source chapter page, or submit a criticism if you believe this statement, as given, is incomplete or incorrect.