Dissipative Quantum Mechanics: An Ontological Reformulation of States, Transitions, and Microscopic Structures

We propose an ontological reformulation of quantum mechanics based on a fundamental distinction between static states and dissipative processes. Static states are time‑independent configurations of charge or matter density, devoid of internal dynamics. Dissipative processes, in contrast, involve real changes in density, energy loss, and irreversibility. This distinction enables a coherent and realistic reinterpretation of electronic orbitals, spin, atomic transitions, nuclear decay, tunneling, and entanglement. We show that every emission or absorption event requires dissipation, and that in an ensemble of excited systems the number of ideal observable transitions is always smaller than the number of initially excited systems. We extend the framework to nuclear structure and quantum correlations, highlighting the conceptual continuity of the theory and its compatibility with the thermodynamics of information.