A Continuum-Based Interpretation of the Dark Sector

This paper develops a unified continuum‑based interpretation of dark‑sector phenomenology grounded in the author’s previously established framework of continuous non‑zero physical support, finite deformation capacity, continuity‑preserving admissibility, and observer‑limited reconstruction. The analysis addresses a central operational question: if the underlying physical support for observable structure is real, why do some of its most consequential large‑scale properties remain inaccessible to internal observers? Three core principles are formulated. The Operational Baseline Inaccessibility Principle states that internal observers, being localized excitations of the same physical support, cannot directly isolate perfectly uniform global baselines; operational access is restricted to gradients, contrasts, boundary responses, and induced geometric deviations. The Baseline Tension Principle holds that a uniform non‑zero internal stress may manifest geometrically as a cosmological‑constant‑like contribution to the large‑scale metric, providing an ontological interpretation of dark‑energy‑like behavior. The Differential Response Principle holds that spatial variations in effective response may generate curvature enhancements that mimic dark‑matter‑like gravitational signatures without requiring additional matter species. Taken together, these principles yield a unified interpretation in which dark‑energy‑like and dark‑matter‑like phenomena arise as distinct observational regimes of one continuous physical medium. The framework does not modify General Relativity, does not introduce new particle species, and does not claim exclusion of the standard ΛCDM cosmological model. Instead, it establishes structural admissibility, operational consistency, and empirical constrainability as the necessary foundations for future quantitative development. Version 1.2 updates the title and metadata for clarity. No scientific content has been changed from Version 1.0.