This paper develops a substrate‑first formulation of information theory within the MID/QC framework, treating information not as an abstract symbolic quantity but as a physically instantiated pattern in a tension‑based medium. Traditional Shannon and quantum information theories assume idealized channels, discrete symbols, and probabilistic encodings. In contrast, the MID/QC substrate provides a continuous, coherence‑dependent environment where information is encoded through gradients, minima, and oscillatory phase relationships in the underlying tension field. The paper establishes three foundational components: 1. EncodingInformation is represented as structured perturbations in local tension geometry. Coherence wells, ridge structures, and phase‑aligned oscillations serve as the primitive carriers of state. Encoding becomes a matter of shaping substrate tension into stable, transmissible configurations. 2. TransmissionPropagation occurs through coherence‑preserving pathways defined by the substrate’s natural dynamics. Unlike classical channels, transmission quality depends on local gradient smoothness, coherence depth, and the stability of tension‑flow trajectories. The paper formalizes how information moves through the substrate without requiring discrete carriers. 3. CoherenceCoherence is the substrate’s native mechanism for maintaining information integrity. Loss of coherence corresponds to information degradation, while coherence amplification enables long‑range, low‑loss transmission. The paper shows how coherence wells act as both memory structures and dynamic buffers. Together, these components form a unified information‑theoretic model grounded in physical substrate behavior rather than symbolic abstraction. This work provides the conceptual and mathematical foundation for future MID/QC developments in measurement, computation, communication, and engineered coherence systems.
Chadwick Rasque (Tue,) studied this question.