Multiresolution Time

Time in software is usually represented as an ordered sequence: log entries, frames, messages, events, commits, or samples. Sequential order is essential, but it makes multiscale reasoning expensive. The same stream must support questions about the current instant, the surrounding episode, recurring motifs, long-term drift, branch history, and exact provenance.

The Fractal Temporal Operator (FTO) and Glyph Tape propose a multiresolution temporal representation in which events retain exact order while also belonging to nested, addressable temporal neighborhoods. Fine-scale detail can be unfolded near an active event; coarser summaries and motifs remain visible farther away. Repeated subgraphs or sequences can be represented through deterministic macros, but the tape never replaces exact history.

The contribution is a disciplined composition of event sourcing, temporal pyramids, stable event identity, branch lineage, motif dictionaries, and foveated access. Geometry and recurrence organize time; they do not establish truth or guarantee compression. Performance claims remain gated behind comparison with ordinary indexes, segment trees, log compaction, dictionary compression, and competent lazy retrieval.

Current evidence state

SPECIFIED

This label describes the strongest public-safe state of the specific paper claims. Open the paper's claim ledger for claim-level distinctions and limitations.

Publication

• Full paper: /papers/p12-fractal-temporal-operator
• Claim ledger: content/papers/p12-fractal-temporal-operator/claim-ledger.json
• Source manifest: content/papers/p12-fractal-temporal-operator/source-manifest.json
• Diagrams: 3
• Approximate body length: 1,468 words

Demonstrations

• d08-temporal-atlas-video-address-map

Benchmarks

• b01-fovea-correctness-cognition
• b02-fold2-codec-laboratory

Public boundary

The research entry publishes a public-safe architecture and evidence record. It does not grant implementation rights or expose restricted claim-ready material.