This document establishes the temporal fragmentation model adopted by the Norsh ecosystem. The model segments time into fixed, non-overlapping intervals referred to as time-steps, each identified by an integer value derived from epoch time. The model provides deterministic alignment across distributed modules without requiring clock synchronization or inter-node negotiation. It is applicable to operations involving block generation, ledger partitioning, cache invalidation, distributed scheduling, and fragment-based lookup.
Time fragmentation must be strictly deterministic, reproducible, and architecture-independent. All subsystems that rely on time-sensitive processing must adopt a consistent interval definition to preserve interoperability and modular isolation.The existence of temporal windows is not arbitrary; it is a technical necessity for:
Ensuring synchronization without communication.
Achieving sharding determinism.
Structuring batch processing cycles.
Allowing backward and forward computation of time windows using only the epoch timestamp.
Time-step boundaries are immutable and non-adjustable post-calculation.
The Temporal Time-Step Model is applicable to all contexts requiring deterministic segmentation of time. Typical implementations within the Norsh ecosystem include:
TOTP and Time-Based Codes: Time-step alignment guarantees the cryptographic validity of time-based one-time passwords (e.g., per RFC 6238) and other mechanisms that depend on temporal coherence.
Block Production: Each block must be generated within a distinct time fragment, without overlap across interval boundaries.
Ledger Partitioning: Ledger shards are indexed and bounded by the time fragment in which data is recorded, enabling distributed storage and parallelized processing.
Temporal Indexing: Caching systems, memory layers, and file structures must use the fragment ID as a deterministic key for efficient lookup, consistency enforcement, and historical traceability.
All subsystems that execute time-sensitive or stateful logic must implement fragment-based control to guarantee modularity, reproducibility, and long-term observability.
The Time-Step Model formalized in this specification is a foundational mechanism for distributed coordination in the Norsh ecosystem. Its adoption enables deterministic behavior across independently executing modules and eliminates the need for active synchronization. The model provides a scalable, architecture-neutral method to encode temporal logic, enabling consistent block creation, data segmentation, and transaction isolation across systems. Any derivation from this model must be explicitly defined and documented in a higher-level NTP.