CCEGA Paper 16: Threshold Gravity and the Decoupling of Tidal Deformability from Maximum Mass

Derives the power-law effective coupling G_eff = G(ρ_c/ρ)2/3 from the Sen tachyon Lagrangian L ∝ φ1/2 identified in Paper 13. Shows that this form introduces a hard density threshold at ρ_c, decoupling tidal deformability from maximum mass — a combination forbidden in GR. For ρ_c ≃ 7ρ_nuc, CCEGA predicts Λ(1.4M☉) = Λ_GR while M_max = 2.357M☉, consistent with PSR J0952−0607 at 0.06σ. First CCEGA prediction falsifiable before 2035.