MF-01 / Control matrix

A signal has alternatives.

Design the comparison so the ordinary explanations have somewhere to show themselves.

Possible cause	Discriminating control	Record
Thermal expansion	Match the temperature distribution and time history, not only heater watts. Change the mounting and allow measured settling.	Temperature channels, zero shifts and mounting geometry.
Directional heat radiation	Estimate escaping radiative momentum and compare emission geometry. Equal electrical input does not ensure equal recoil.	Power, surface temperatures and radiation directions.
Magnetic pickup	Map the local field, change cable routing and source placement, and repeat with suitable dummy loads.	Current, magnetic field, orientation and harness geometry.
Electrical / patch forces	Characterize grounding, contact potentials, leakage and relevant voltage dependence.	Voltage, grounding arrangement and separation.
Cable and support forces	Characterize harness stiffness and feedthrough forces. Consider onboard power only when its mass and heating are accounted for.	Feedthrough, cable layout, current and mechanical response.
Gas, buoyancy and outgassing	Use pressure dependence and material controls where relevant. Select vacuum requirements from the force budget.	Pressure, material history, elapsed time and temperature.
Vibration and tilt	Measure the transfer function and record motion of the environment.	Tilt, vibration, readout timing and force response.
Analysis and selection	Randomize run order, mask condition labels where feasible, and freeze exclusions before the decisive comparison.	Raw channels, run IDs, exclusions and code version.

A reversal is evidence to interpret.

Changing orientation can reverse a genuine interaction, a magnetic disturbance or a thermally induced zero shift. Acceptance requires the predicted pattern across several controls and the full uncertainty budget—not one persuasive trace.

Research basis: M. Tajmar, 2022 · James E. Polk, 2017.