We present a theoretical framework — the Layered Yang–Mills Substrate Model (LYM) — in which space, time, mass, and the gauge structure of the Standard Model emerge as consequences of tension dynamics on a two-dimensional, pre-temporal manifold Σ. The substrate carries latent potential distributed across scale-free addresses, organised into countably many layers each carrying finite potential. A propagation front ∂Ω(n) separates activated from resting regions; its motion is governed by a modified Yang–Mills field equation on a six-dimensional configuration space C6 comprising the two-dimensional substrate, a layer-depth coordinate, and threesurrounding-influence dimensions encoding the direct coordinated indirect influence acting on every address.The principal results are: (i) Three-dimensional space is derived from tension front closure; derived time emerges from the discrete activation sequence. (ii) Thedynamic gauge group at each address is the stabiliser of the accumulated tension deformation under the adjoint action of the full gauge group; the Standard Modelgauge hierarchy SU (3) ⊃ SU (2) × U (1) ⊃ U (1) is derived from three geometric regimes of influence-space saturation without additional postulation. (iii) The one-loop QCD beta function coefficient b0 = 11N/3 − 2Nf /3 is derived from the coset measure geometry; the Weinberg angle formula sin2 θW = 9ψ2 ⊥/(ψ2 ∥ + 9ψ2 ⊥) is derived from the deformation eigenvalue ratio at the electroweak scale, consistent with the measured value sin2 θW ≈ 0.231. (iv) The Schwarzschild metric is derived from the focused mass well in the low-activation vacuum limit. (v) Quantum mechanical phenomena — including superposition, interference, entanglement, exclusion, tun-nelling, and zero-point energy — are identified as four-dimensional descriptions of fold, push, and absorption interactions at substrate addresses. (vi) The Yang–Millsmass gap is proved universal: tension is the film produced by the opposition of external influence and internal friction; neither force can be zero; the film is thereforepermanently non-zero at every address under every physical condition. Singularities do not form; addresses under extreme force are deformed, not depleted. (vii)Cross-scale coherence is demonstrated: one mechanism operates identically from the sub-atomic to the cosmological scale. The model reduces to standard Yang–Millstheory, general relativity, and quantum field theory in their respective appropriate limits. A falsifiable prediction is derived: excess redshift along high-density lines ofsight above the integrated Sachs–Wolfe effect, testable with existing survey data.
Nicolas Antony Brown (Thu,) studied this question.