Version 3: Photon Fragmentation Mechanism: Spin Dynamics, Quantum Field Interactions, and the Cosmic Vapor Residue – A Particle-Only Model of Optical Propagation

Abstract

Abstract: This paper details the physical mechanism underlying the particle-only model of light, building directly upon the established primacy of space as an eternal, passive framework (Majeed.A, 2026a; 2026c). It proposes that photons are not immutable quanta but undergo a continuous, progressive process of structural fragmentation during transit through space. This fragmentation arises from three interrelated factors: (1) intrinsic spin dynamics, where the photon’s angular momentum interacts with the quantum vacuum to shed low-energy “peelings”; (2) quantum field interference, where fluctuating zero-point fields exert minute but persistent forces that strip energy and structural integrity; and (3) distance as an active agent, where entropy governs a predictable degradation of the photon over vast spatial intervals. The fragments shed during this process constitute a cold, diffuse, and previously undetectable “vapor” that permeates the observable universe. This paper identifies five candidate particles at the quantum level that could constitute this residue—axions, dark photons, sterile neutrinos, sub-eV photons, and gravitons—while distinguishing the vapor from pure Space itself. The framework provides a fully deterministic alternative to wave-based interpretations of optical phenomena and offers specific targets for future experimental detection. This Version DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21893157