Modal Dropout and the Path Integral: A Coherence-Based Reformulation of Quantum Collapse

This paper introduces a reformulation of the quantum path integral grounded in the dropout geometry of Unified Vibrational Field Theory (UVFT). Unlike traditional formulations where all quantum paths contribute equally, this approach incorporates a coherence-based survival threshold. Collapse is modeled as a geometrical constraint — governed not by observation, but by accumulated coherence strain and modal curvature. The dropout-corrected path integral dynamically excludes decohering paths, establishing a topological boundary for survival. This yields a new framework for understanding tunneling, entanglement, and quantum-to-classical transition through the lens of coherence deformation. The familiar Schrödinger equation emerges as a low-strain limit. Experimental predictions include strain-weighted decoherence gradients and CPT-invariant collapse behaviors.