VOT Empirical Layer Boundary Note: Ω-Centered Validation Not Currently Supported

This record is a methodological boundary note / negative-result note for the VOT / Ω empirical layer.

It is not an empirical validation result, not a replacement for Minimal Control Protocol V1, and not a claim that the full theoretical framework is disproven.

The note summarizes the current boundary of the VOT empirical layer after recent internal exploratory and review work.

In the broad exploratory atlas, 15 domains were inspected, 8 usable datasets were found, 7 domains were skipped, 129,360 specifications were tested, and 87,416 specifications were valid under the atlas filters.

However, the top freeze candidates did not survive independence review. The freeze review examined 10 top candidates: 7 were classified as direct circular, 3 as near-circular, and 0 safe freeze candidates were selected.

These results do not validate a new empirical claim. They support a methodological boundary decision: the Ω-centered empirical layer is not currently validated and should not be expanded as the active empirical core.

Existing Minimal Control Protocol V1 remains historical, fixed, and Ω-centered. This note does not silently rewrite or invalidate V1 records.

The active vNext direction is structural-channel concentration under fixed independent event labels, with Ω retained only as an optional composite or interaction diagnostic.

Future empirical work requires independent event labels, frozen specifications, anti-circularity review, sufficient support counts, and validation before any public empirical claim.