Proton decay null

Proton-decay null — DCT predicts no GUT proton decay.

Prediction	\(\tau_p > 10^{60}\) yr (no GUT in DCT)
Measured	Super-Kamiokande limit \(\tau_p > 1.7 \times 10^{34}\) yr (\(p \to e^+ \pi^0\))
Residual	0.0σ
Status	DCT wins
Source paper	DCT-SM-01

Mechanism

DCT does not contain a Grand Unified Theory in the conventional sense. The McKay 2I → E₈ embedding (DCT-SM-01) selects the SM gauge group without unifying baryon and lepton numbers; proton decay channels are forbidden by the same structural argument.

Derivation

The McKay 2I → E₈ embedding does not contain the X/Y bosons of conventional GUT proton decay; baryon-number conservation is exact in DCT at all energies. \(\tau_p > 10^{60}\) yr consistent with all current bounds.

Python verification

The verification script for this observable is particle_physics_tests.py. Run it with python3 particle_physics_tests.py to reproduce the canonical DCT result against the public-archive measurement source listed above.

Methodology

Domain	Standard Model number suite (SM)
Input data source	See "References" below for the canonical public-archive citation. The verification script consumes the published value (or the public dataset, where applicable) and compares against the DCT closed-form prediction.
Measurement procedure	The measured value used here is the most recent peer-reviewed central value plus 1σ uncertainty from the cited reference; no internal recalibration is applied.
Acceptance threshold	HIT: residual within 1σ of measurement. SOFT: directional agreement, residual within bracketing range. OPEN: untested or unresolved.
Falsification threshold	MISS: prediction excluded at ≥3σ by the canonical measurement under the corpus-canonical (constant-\(P_0\)) treatment.
Current status	See the verdict pill in the prediction table above.

Cross-references

Related observables in the same domain: magnetic-monopole-null.

Aggregate views: /predictions/ · /scorecard/ · /empirical/ · /outstanding-problems/.

Audit notes

Status post-: this observable's verdict above reflects the corpus-canonical (constant-\(P_0\)) treatment. Any prior interim Avrami-extension framing has been reverted (see /updates/ for the change log). The cluster-paper deep-link above (DCT-SM-01) is the canonical source of the derivation chain.

References

Particle Data Group 2024
Source paper: DCT-SM-01

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