Fire Without Flow: A Coherence-Geometric Model of Self-Sustained Reactive and Fluid-Like Dynamics
Internal ID: CGI-RSR-000043
Author(s): Barry L. Petersen
Document Type: Research Paper
Publication Date: September 30, 2026
Original Creation Date: November 7, 2025
Revised Document Date: September 25, 2026
Status: Public
Domains: Physics, Fire Dynamics, General
Sub-Domain: Reactive Coherence Dynamics / Fluid-Like Organization
Research Topics: Reactive Dynamics, Fire Dynamics, Coherence Geometry, CDAR, CDAD, CDT, Amplitude Relaxation, Activation Dynamics, Coherence Transport, Thermal Feedback, Nucleation, Plume Formation, Phase Transitions
Abstract
This paper develops a coherence-geometric reactive-field model in which self-sustained fire-like and phase-transition-like behavior arises from a common coupled amplitude, thermal, and phase architecture.
The construction combines diffusion, activation, saturation, phase coupling, thermal feedback, curvature-driven redistribution, and optional fluid-active transport. Phase-driven coherence flux may redistribute reactive amplitude without requiring material velocity as a primitive variable, while stronger transport regimes may additionally retain an explicit velocity sector.
Numerical investigations demonstrate several qualitatively distinct regimes within the same framework, including a diffusive firefall transient, persistent laminar-like plume formation, high-intensity flickering or turbulent-like behavior, and nucleation-dominated phase-transition-like dynamics involving the formation, growth, interaction, and coalescence of bubble-like domains.
Within the later coherence-geometric interpretation, these regimes correspond to different balances among curvature-driven amplitude relaxation (CDAR), curvature-driven activation dynamics (CDAD), and curvature-driven transport (CDT).
The work is presented as a qualitative generative investigation of reactive and fluid-like organization rather than as a predictive combustion model or engineering fluid simulation.
Available Document
Citation:
Petersen, B. L. (2026). Fire Without Flow: A Coherence-Geometric Model of Self-Sustained Reactive and Fluid-Like Dynamics (Version 1.0). Coherence Geometry Institute. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23053425
Source Code and Supporting Materials
The Zenodo record includes three Python scripts preserving representative computational realizations developed in the paper.
Primary file:Fire_Without_Flow__A_Coherence_Geometric_Model_of_Self_Sustained_Reactive_and_Fluid_Like_Dynamics.pdf
Version 1.0 archival research paper.
Supporting computational scripts:
mu_fire3C_512_LAMINAR.py
Representative implementation of the firefall transient and laminar plume regime.mu_fire3C_burner_line_modified_TURBULENT.py
Representative implementation of the high-intensity turbulent-like or flickering regime.mu_fire3_Boiling.py
Representative implementation of the boiling or nucleation-dominated phase-transition-like regime.
The scripts are supplied as archival research artifacts for transparency, reproducibility, and provenance. They are not distributed as a polished or continuously maintained combustion-simulation package.
A README file accompanying the Zenodo deposit records document provenance, scope, citation information, file integrity, and archival metadata.
Summary and Notes
Scope:
This paper extends the coherence-geometric fluid program into reactive dynamics through a shared amplitude–thermal–phase architecture.
The model combines several mechanisms within one computational framework:
- diffusion;
- reactive activation;
- saturation;
- phase coupling;
- thermal feedback;
- curvature-driven redistribution;
- phase-driven coherence flux; and
- optional explicit fluid-active transport.
A key feature of the construction is that redistribution of reactive amplitude need not begin from a conventional material velocity field. Phase-driven coherence transport can organize and redistribute the reactive state directly, while an explicit fluid-active velocity sector may be added in stronger transport regimes.
The numerical program explores several qualitatively different behaviors.
A diffusive firefall regime exhibits transient redistribution and decay.
A persistent laminar-like plume regime demonstrates sustained coherent reactive organization.
A high-intensity flickering or turbulent-like regime exhibits stronger activation, transport, and temporal variability.
A nucleation-dominated regime produces phase-transition-like behavior characterized by the formation, growth, interaction, and coalescence of bubble-like domains.
Within the mature Coherence Geometry framework, these regimes may be interpreted through different balances among three coherence-governed modes:
- Curvature-Driven Amplitude Relaxation (CDAR): stabilization and relaxation;
- Curvature-Driven Activation Dynamics (CDAD): sustained activity, growth, and decay;
- Curvature-Driven Transport (CDT): redistribution of coherence organization.
The significance of the construction is therefore not that one equation has been fitted separately to several phenomena. Rather, qualitatively different reactive and fluid-like regimes emerge from different dynamical balances within a common coherence-geometric architecture.
The work remains an application-level and generative model. It is not presented as a complete predictive theory of combustion chemistry, atmospheric fire behavior, or engineering fluid mechanics.
Related Work
Foundational framework:
Petersen, B. L. (2026). Coherence Geometry Foundations, Part I: Orientation, Closure, and Algebraic Foundations(Version 0.1). Zenodo.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20156531
Petersen, B. L. (2026). Coherence Geometry Foundations, Part II: Physical Projections. Zenodo.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20156996
Coherence-governed dynamical modes:
Petersen, B. L., Johnson, R. K., & Bruno, A. E. (2026). A Conceptual Overview of the Coherence-Geometric Framework: Organizational Structure, Terminology, and Projection (Version 1.0). Coherence Geometry Institute. Zenodo.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22720726
Petersen, B. L. (2026). Triadic Organization of Coherence-Governed Systems: Stabilization, Activation, and Transport as Constraint-Driven Modes (Version 1.0). Coherence Geometry Institute. Zenodo.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22721088
Petersen, B. L. (2026). Pattern Formation via Curvature-Driven Amplitude Relaxation in Coherence Geometry. Zenodo.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20121185
Related physical and projection work:
Petersen, B. L. (2026). Coherence Geometry as a Structured Generalization of Fluid Dynamics (Version 1.0). Coherence Geometry Institute. Zenodo.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23043221
Petersen, B. L. (2026). Projection-Covariant Dynamics in Coherence Geometry: Presymplectic Reduction, Mapping-Space Evolution, and Observable Descent (Version 1.0). Coherence Geometry Institute. Zenodo.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23040342
Petersen, B. L. (2026). Coherence Geometry Foundations, Volume II: Source Curvature, Book II: Projection Archetypes and Structural Realizations (Version 0.1). Coherence Geometry Institute. Zenodo.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23057738

