Predictions & Falsifiability

The dark energy equation of state is exactly w = −1, up to corrections of order 10⁻⁶². This follows from the Lorentz invariance of the superfluid phonon zero-point spectrum (Theorem 4.2) and cannot be adjusted by tuning any parameter.

The Radial Acceleration Relation has the specific functional form μₑ(x) = 1 − e^(−√x), derived from superfluid phase transition physics. The shape of the interpolating function is a structural prediction — not postulated but derived from the condensate fraction.

The RAR intrinsic scatter should be < 0.05 dex, arising from superfluid uniformity. The ether condensate is a single medium with universal properties, so the acceleration scale a₀ and interpolating function are the same in every galaxy.

The dark sector exhibits a thermodynamic phase transition between MOND-like behaviour (galaxies, superfluid ether) and CDM-like behaviour (clusters, normal ether). The transition is continuous (second-order) and occurs at a characteristic velocity dispersion σ_c determined by the BEC critical temperature.

At cluster scales, the total-to-baryonic mass ratio approaches M/M_b ≈ 1 + Ω_DM/Ω_b ≈ 6.2, because the normal (non-superfluid) ether gravitates like collisionless dark matter.

In merging galaxy clusters, the lensing–X-ray offset Δ_LX correlates with collision velocity v_coll. Higher-velocity collisions drive more ether into the normal phase, producing larger offsets. Lower-velocity collisions retain superfluid, producing smaller offsets or 'dark cores'.

At zero temperature, the ether framework reproduces maximal Bell violation: the CHSH parameter |S(T=0)| = 2√2. The ether's zero-point field correlations, mediated non-locally through the condensate, reproduce the quantum prediction exactly (Theorem 8.5). This is a necessary consistency condition — the ether must agree with established quantum mechanics in the T → 0 limit.

At finite temperature, the CHSH parameter degrades algebraically as |S(T)| = 2√2/(1 + 2n_th)², where n_th is the Bose–Einstein occupation number. Bell violation persists only below T_crit(ω) = ℏω/(2.449 k_B). This is parameter-free — it depends only on ω and T, not on any ether material property. Standard QM predicts exponential degradation with a free parameter γ₀τ.

At distances r ≲ ξ (the healing length), gravity deviates from the inverse-square law via a Yukawa modification. The range ξ is determined by the ether quantum mass m_e: for m_e ≈ 0.5–2 eV, ξ ≈ 7–9 μm. This is the most direct probe of the ether's microstructure.

The Yukawa coupling α_ξ — the ratio of phonon-mediated to direct gravitational interaction at the healing length scale — is estimated as O(1). This is an order-of-magnitude structural prediction; the precise value depends on the phonon–baryon coupling details not yet fully derived.

The BEC critical velocity dispersion σ_c determines where the superfluid-to-normal phase transition occurs in gravitational systems. For the fiducial m_e = 1 eV at halo overdensity δ ~ 80: σ_c ≈ 500 km/s. Galaxy groups with σ ~ 300–600 km/s should show intermediate (partial MOND) behaviour.

The superfluid ether supports phonon excitations with sound speed c_s = √(μ̂/m_e). For the fiducial m_e = 1 eV: c_s ≈ 5.3 × 10⁶ m/s (0.018c). This would manifest as dispersion in gravitational wave propagation.

The ether's transverse microstructure at scale ℓ_e modifies the photon dispersion relation, causing energy-dependent time delays for photons from cosmological sources. For the lattice model: ξ₂ = −1/12 (subluminal — higher-energy photons travel slower).

The CMB angular power spectrum is the one domain where ΛCDM has overwhelming empirical success (6-parameter fit to thousands of data points) and the ether framework has no prediction. Deriving the CMB power spectrum from ether cosmological perturbation theory is the highest priority for future theoretical work, identified as the most significant gap in the programme.