Open problems
What is settled, and what is not
A general framework is only as honest as its account of its own open questions. This register lists them plainly — 3 still open, 4 established — and ties each to the term of the equation it concerns. It is versioned alongside the reference, so the record of what has moved is public.
Status of each question, tied to the term of the equation it concerns.
Open
- Open Term:
P(t)Independent full-scale net-output validation
No independent measurement yet closes the loop from ambient input to net electrical output at device scale. This is the central open empirical question.
- Open Term:
σ(E)Effective cross-section large enough to close the budget
Whether the effective coupling, with coherent enhancement, is large enough to make the power budget balance in a real absorber remains unproven.
details → - Open Term:
σ(E), ΔpN² coherent scaling in a practical absorber
The N² enhancement is established in principle and in clean experiments; whether it survives at the scale and disorder of a working device is open.
details →
In progress
- In progress Term:
η_convAchievable rectification efficiency
The symmetry and thermodynamic bounds on η_conv are established (see the appendix); the value attainable in a specific device is still being characterised.
details → - In progress Term:
Φ(E,θ,t)Effective device-local flux
The ambient fluxes themselves are measured; the effective flux actually available to a given converter geometry is still being pinned down.
details →
Established
- Established Term:
Φ(E,θ,t)Reality of the ambient flux
That a real, continuous, massive-neutrino and cosmic flux exists and couples to matter is settled, Nobel-recognised physics.
details → - Established Term:
whole equationThermodynamic consistency
The framework returns exactly zero at equilibrium and requires a non-equilibrium drive, so it violates no thermodynamic law (Lemma 2).
details → - Established Term:
whole equationDimensional consistency
The five factors integrate to watts; the equation is dimensionally sound by construction.
details → - Established Term:
whole equationRecovery of established limits
P(t) reduces to the Carnot, Shockley–Queisser and thermoelectric-ZT results under explicit restrictions, so it contains rather than contradicts them.
details →