Re-emergence of Dominant Coordination Frames Following Global Collapse: Optimal Instability Windows, Modular Decomposition, and Scale-Invariant Selection in Multi-Agent Systems

We introduce a minimal dynamical model of competitive frame dynamics in multi-agent systems following global coordination collapse. The model features dual-criterion selection (quality attraction and collapse-risk avoidance) and derives three core results: (1) an optimal instability regime with a structural 2× safety margin under quadratic response assumptions, (2) O(n²) interference scaling that makes modular decomposition energetically inevitable beyond a closed-form threshold, and (3) a dimensionless governance constant κ that is analytically scale-invariant within structural classes. We formalize silent fragmentation—where systems appear coordinated while actual variance grows—and show that cross-unit coupling acts as a leading indicator of degradation. The framework assembles three analytically tractable submodels (fragmentation dynamics, quality response, modular energy scaling) connected by operational bridge assumptions, generating falsifiable predictions for AI orchestration, organizational restructuring, and software architecture. Four toy experiments validate ansatz robustness, silent fragmentation detection, analytical consistency of κ, and empirical gradient conflict scaling.