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In an attractor with one adiabatic clock, the leading squeezed primordial bispectrum is the response to a coordinate dilation. Holding a halo's physical mass and smoothing scale fixed cancels this dilation in its abundance response. Thus the consistency-relation term does not generate the physical $k^{-2}$ scale-dependent halo bias from local non-Gaussianity. For example, a top-hat filter of fixed physical radius has coordinate radius $R_c=e^{-{\zeta }_L}{R}_0$, while the short density contrast is ${\delta }_s(\mathbf{x})={\delta }_s^{(0)}(e^{{\zeta }_L}\mathbf{x})$. The substitution $\mathbf{y}=e^{{\zeta }_L}\mathbf{x}$ shows that its normalized average over $|\mathbf{x}|<R_c$ equals the original average over $|\mathbf{y}|<R_0$. Genuine local effects start at two spatial derivatives of the long mode. Non-attractor backgrounds or nonstandard initial states need not satisfy this argument.

The bispectrum is the Fourier transform of a third-order cumulant or correlation function, with the convention specified for the process or field. It measures third-order dependence among frequency triples; the primordial bispectrum is a cosmological random-field application.

For a massless scalar in de Sitter spacetime with interaction $S_{\mathrm{int}}=(\lambda /3!)\int dt{d}^{3}x{a}^3{\dot{\varphi }}^2\varphi$, the tree-level late-time primordial bispectrum isIt scales as $B(\mu k_1,\mu k_2,\mu k_3)={\mu }^{-6}B(k_1,k_2,k_3)$.

A constant primordial bispectrum means a constant bispectrum shape function, not a bispectrum independent of wavenumber. With $P(k)=2{\pi }^2{\Delta }_{\zeta }^2/k^3$ and scale-independent ${\Delta }_{\zeta }^2$, one normalization is $B=f_{\mathrm{NL}}[P(k_1)P(k_2)P(k_3){]}^{2/3}=4{\pi }^4{f}_{\mathrm{NL}}{\Delta }_{\zeta }^4/(k_1{k}_2{k}_3{)}^2$.

Put $C=ϵ+1-c_s^2$. For constant $H,ϵ,c_s>0$ and cubic interaction $H_{\mathrm{int}}=-M_{\mathrm{Pl}}^2\int d^{3}x{a}^3ϵC{\dot{\zeta }}^3/(H{c}_s^2)$, the Bunch-Davies vacuum modes $u_k=H(1+ik{c}_s\tau )e^{-ik{c}_s\tau }/\sqrt{4ϵM_{\mathrm{Pl}}^2{c}_s{k}^3}$ giveTo derive this primordial bispectrum, transform $dt=ad\tau$, $\dot{\zeta }={\zeta }^{\prime }/a$, use the six connected Wick contractions, and integrate ${\int }_{-\infty (1-i0)}^0{\tau }^2{e}^{i{c}_s(k_1+k_2+k_3)\tau }d\tau =2i/[c_s(k_1+k_2+k_3){]}^3$ in the in-in formalism. The normalized equilateral amplitude is $B(k,k,k)/P(k{)}^2=2C/9$; raw inverse powers of $c_s$ must not be confused with normalized primordial non-Gaussianity.

An equilateral primordial bispectrum configuration has equal external wavenumbers. For a cubic time-derivative curvature bispectrum, $S\propto k_1{k}_2{k}_3/(k_1+k_2+k_3{)}^3$ is maximized here at fixed perimeter by the arithmetic-geometric mean inequality.

A flattened primordial bispectrum configuration lies at the collinear boundary of the allowed momentum-triangle domain. For a cubic time-derivative curvature bispectrum, it is finite rather than singular. Its equal-short-side value $k_1=k_2=k_3/2$ gives $k_1{k}_2{k}_3/(k_1+k_2+k_3{)}^3=1/32$, compared with $1/27$ at an equilateral bispectrum configuration.

A local quadratic departure from a Gaussian random field isThe subtraction removes the homogeneous mean. At leading order, Wick theorem gives the primordial bispectrum $B_{\phi }=2f_{\mathrm{NL}}[P_{\phi }(k_1)P_{\phi }(k_2)+\text{cyclic terms}]$. The numerical convention depends on which potential or comoving curvature perturbation is used.

The exact centered quadratic Gaussian transformation has a connected three-quadratic-vertex contribution $8{\alpha }^3\int d^{3}qP(q)P(|{\mathbf{k}}_1-\mathbf{q}|)P(|{\mathbf{k}}_2+\mathbf{q}|)/(2\pi {)}^3$. It is higher order than the usual tree-level local primordial bispectrum. Infrared or ultraviolet regularization may be needed.

Put $k_1=q\ll k$ and $k_2,k_3\to k$ in the squeezed bispectrum configuration. Then $K\to 2k$ and the three symmetric combinations in the supplied expression have limitsThe first two terms inside the $ϵ$ bracket cancel, leaving $4k^3$. The full bracket is therefore $(\eta +2ϵ)k^3/4$, andThe $(2\pi {)}^3$ is kept in the normalization of $F$ used by the paper; it should not be introduced a second time by changing the primordial bispectrum convention.

Momentum conservation makes the three vectors close into a triangle. As $q/k\to 0$, the two short-wavelength vectors approach equal magnitude and opposite direction, producing a thin, nearly collapsed triangle. In real space the $q$ mode varies slowly over a region containing many short wavelengths, so it modulates their local statistics. For a single adiabatic inflationary clock this is a local spatial dilation, the basis of the single-field inflation squeezed-limit consistency relation. If $\eta$ is the Hubble-flow convention $\dot{ϵ}/(Hϵ)$, the scalar spectral index in Hubble slow-roll parameters gives $\eta +2ϵ=1-n_s$ to first order. This identification must not be made with the potential slow-roll $\eta$ without converting conventions.

Factor the momentum dependence intoWrite $s=+1$ for the intended target, obtained with the Hamiltonian sign repair in part (i), and $s=-1$ for the literal stated Hamiltonian. The same sign choice applies to both limits and cancels in their amplitude ratio. The primordial bispectrum contribution is $s{H}^4(ϵ+1-c_s^2)\mathcal{G}/(16{ϵ}^2{c}_s^4)$. HenceAt fixed $H,ϵ$ and momentum triangle, the ratio to the unit-sound-speed amplitude isKeeping only the leading slow-roll order makes this $100/c_s^4$. To compare the two pieces of this same interaction at a fixed $c_s$, their ratio is instead $(1-c_s^2)/ϵ\simeq 100(1-c_s^2)$. Thus the noncanonical piece overtakes the slow-roll piece once $1-c_s^2\gg 0.01$, while both have the common raw $c_s^{-4}$ enhancement from the interaction and its external mode normalization. For instance $c_s^2=0.1$ gives an exact ratio $9100$ to the canonical limit with these fixed parameters.

A raw primordial bispectrum amplitude is not the same as normalized primordial non-Gaussianity: here $P_{\zeta }(k)=H^2/(4ϵc_s{k}^3)$, so the ratio $B/P_{\zeta }^2$ scales as $(ϵ+1-c_s^2)/c_s^2$ at fixed shape. The small-sound-speed enhancement in normalized non-Gaussianity is therefore $c_s^{-2}$. These are tree-level weak-interaction predictions; approaching arbitrarily small $c_s$ eventually requires checking the perturbative regime.

Insert the primordial bispectrum into the product of the three linear transfer integrals. Write $L={\ell }_1+{\ell }_2+{\ell }_3$ and abbreviate $g_{{\ell }_i}({\eta }_0,k_i)$ by $g_i$. The observer-position phase is one because the momentum delta function imposes $\sum {\mathbf{k}}_i=0$. Represent that delta function byThe Rayleigh plane-wave expansion and angular orthogonality give, for each momentum,The three $i^{\ell }$ factors cancel the $(-i{)}^L$ in the temperature multipoles. Angular integration over $\hat{x}$ leaves the complex conjugate Gaunt integral. In the conventional complex spherical harmonics, this integral is real, and it vanishes unless the angular momentum triangle, even-parity and $m_1+m_2+m_3=0$ selection rules hold. Therefore its conjugate equals itself.

The radial measure is $x^{2}dx$, and the momentum radial measures are $k_i^{2}d{k}_i$. The combined numerical prefactor is $(4\pi {)}^6/(2\pi {)}^9=8/{\pi }^3=64/(2\pi {)}^3$. Hence the reduced CMB bispectrum isand the angular three-point function factorizes asThis primordial-to-angular bispectrum projection separates dynamics and radial transfer from purely angular geometry. The spatial integration variable is auxiliary, not the observer position. Linear transfer is justified at leading order in the primordial signal; it does not require a large amplitude mathematically, although a signal must exceed measurement uncertainty to be detectable.

For a statistically homogeneous comoving curvature perturbation, define the connected primordial bispectrum byStatistical isotropy makes $B$ depend only on the three magnitudes, which must form a triangle. A Gaussian random field has zero connected bispectrum. Canonical attractor single-field slow-roll inflation with the usual vacuum produces only slow-roll-sized primordial non-Gaussianity. A measurable signal can arise from additional light fields and nonlinear conversion of isocurvature perturbations, or from enhanced interactions such as a small sound speed, departures from an attractor, or suitable features/excited initial states. The resulting model must still reproduce the observed nearly scale-invariant power spectrum and remain under perturbative control, with acceptable backreaction and late-time conversion to the observed perturbations. Large non-Gaussianity is therefore possible but is not automatic in a viable model.

Put $c=3f_{\mathrm{NL}}/5$ and use the consistent Fourier transform convention with ${\zeta }_G(\mathbf{x})$, rather than the repeated momentum argument printed in the integrand. The quadratic part has transformThe subtraction sets the mean to zero and removes the internal contraction of a single quadratic factor. At first order in $f_{\mathrm{NL}}$, choose one of the three external factors to be quadratic. For example, the two connected Wick contractions at the third leg pair its two fields with the first two legs, givingSumming the three placements provesThis is the leading local primordial bispectrum. The factor $6/5$ is the quadratic coefficient $3/5$ multiplied by the two cross-pairings. Terms of order $f_{\mathrm{NL}}^2$ have an odd Gaussian moment and vanish.

The literal quadratic local model also has a connected cubic-in-$f_{\mathrm{NL}}$ contribution, from one quadratic factor at every leg:This is the loop correction to the local primordial bispectrum; regulators may be needed for idealized spectra. Thus the PDF's displayed formula is the tree/leading-order result, not an exact identity for arbitrary $f_{\mathrm{NL}}$. The weak-non-Gaussian expansion assumes these loop terms are small. The local shape is enhanced in the squeezed bispectrum configuration when a long-wavelength perturbation modulates small-scale power.

For a centred Gaussian random field, Wick theorem expresses each even correlation function as a sum over all pairings of two-point functions; odd moments vanish. For example,For six fields there are $5\cdot 3\cdot 1=15$ pairings. In a tree-level connected three-point calculation with one cubic vertex, each of the three external fields must contract with a different vertex field. This gives $3!=6$ connected Wick contractions. Pairings connecting two external fields instead are disconnected tadpole contributions, omitted from the primordial bispectrum.

Put $\mathcal{F}=(1-c_s^2)\mathcal{A}/c_s^2$. Using $dt=ad\tau$ and $\dot{\zeta }={\zeta }^{\prime }/a$, the integrated interaction Hamiltonian becomesThe unequal-time Wick contraction required by the displayed operator order isThe conjugate is essential: the equal-time power spectrum alone does not specify the erroneous unstarred replacement printed in the target expression. The in-in bispectrum conjugation rule fixes the vacuum convergence and final sign.

Fourier transforming the vertex gives $(2\pi {)}^3{\delta }^{(3)}({\mathbf{p}}_1+{\mathbf{p}}_2+{\mathbf{p}}_3)$ with three measures $d^3{p}_j/(2\pi {)}^3$. The six pairings supply the product of three external-vertex delta functions, each carrying $(2\pi {)}^3$. Integrating all three internal momenta leaves one overall $(2\pi {)}^3{\delta }^{(3)}({\mathbf{k}}_1+{\mathbf{k}}_2+{\mathbf{k}}_3)$. Thus the normalized connected contraction formula isThis spells out what the printed permutations and delta functions must represent: all six permutations, full Fourier normalization, and conjugated vertex modes. Three cyclic permutations alone would miss a factor of two.

Use the Fourier transform convention $\zeta (\mathbf{x})=\int d^{3}k{e}^{i\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{x}}\zeta (\mathbf{k})/(2\pi {)}^3$. Statistical homogeneity and isotropy define the primordial bispectrum byThe Dirac delta function enforces momentum conservation; the three magnitudes describe a closed triangle. Set $\alpha =3f_{\mathrm{NL}}/5$. For the centered quadratic Gaussian transformation, its quadratic Fourier term isAt first order in $\alpha$, choose the quadratic field at one of the three external positions. For the first position, Wick contractions pair the two internal fields with the two remaining external fields in two ways. The self-pairing is precisely removed by the subtracted mean. The surviving contribution is $2\alpha P(k_2)P(k_3)$ times the momentum delta. Adding the other positions gives the tree-level local-type primordial non-Gaussianity resultThis expression is at leading order in $f_{\mathrm{NL}}$. The exact quadratic map also has a loop correction to the local primordial bispectrum, from three quadratic vertices:There is no quadratic-in-$\alpha$ bispectrum term, because it would involve five centered Gaussian fields. A regulator may be needed for this higher-order integral. The displayed leading formula uses the Gaussian power $P$, consistently neglecting its order-$f_{\mathrm{NL}}^2$ correction.

Write $K=k_1+k_2+k_3>0$ and $C=ϵ+1-c_s^2$. The inflationary scalar Fourier mode has real late-time value $A_k=H/\sqrt{4ϵM_{\mathrm{Pl}}^2{c}_s{k}^3}$ and $u_k^{\prime \ast }(\tau )=A_k{c}_s^2{k}^2\tau e^{ik{c}_s\tau }$. Thus the time integrand, before the factor $-2i$, isThe Bunch-Davies vacuum prescription supplies damping in the past. Equivalently, use a positive regulator $d$ and then take the limit:The real part of $-2i$ times this integral is $4/(c_s^3{K}^3)$. Including the six Wick contractions yields the cubic time-derivative curvature bispectrumThe resulting primordial bispectrum is a homogeneous function of degree $-6$ in the wavenumbers, as expected for scale-independent background parameters.

The printed limit $c_s\ll 0$ is not a physical sound-speed limit for these modes. The normalization and positive-frequency choice assume $c_s>0$; a negative value is outside the positive sound-speed convention used by these modes. The likely intended limit is $0<c_s\ll 1$, which is analyzed explicitly here rather than silently substituted for the PDF.

To compare primordial non-Gaussianity, normalize by the power spectrum, not only by the raw three-point amplitude. HereAt an equilateral bispectrum configuration, the exact normalized amplitude isThus $c_s\to 1$ gives an amplitude of order $ϵ$, consistent with weak non-Gaussianity in single-field slow-roll inflation. For $0<c_s\ll 1$, this vertex gives an amplitude of order one, enhanced relative to the slow-roll limit but not diverging as $c_s^{-2}$ after power-spectrum normalization. At fixed $H,ϵ,M_{\mathrm{Pl}}$ the raw bispectrum does scale as $c_s^{-2}$, but $P_{\zeta }^2$ has the same scaling. The often-quoted larger small-sound-speed amplitudes of more general inflationary actions require their actual interaction coefficients and other vertices; they do not follow from the lone supplied vertex. These conclusions concern its tree contribution within the stated weak-perturbation approximation.

The bispectrum shape function isAt fixed perimeter, the arithmetic-geometric mean inequality bounds this by $1/27$, attained only at an equilateral bispectrum configuration. In a squeezed bispectrum configuration with $k_1=q\ll k_2\simeq k_3=k$, it behaves as $q/(8k)\to 0$. At a flattened bispectrum configuration $(k,k,2k)$ it is finite, $1/32$, with no boundary singularity. Thus the shape prefers equilateral triangles and suppresses squeezed triangles, with a broad finite flattened contribution. This is a shape preference, not a complete signal-to-noise calculation: actual observational weighting also depends on cosmological transfer functions, covariance and accessible triangles. If $C=0$, this vertex produces no bispectrum at any configuration; if $C<0$, the signed shape reverses while its absolute triangle preference is unchanged.

Use the comoving curvature perturbation mode normalization. Take $H,ϵ,c_s$ to be effectively constant at leading slow-roll approximation order, with $H,ϵ,c_s>0$, and use the Bunch-Davies vacuum selected by the early-time $i\epsilon$ contour. The regulator $\epsilon$ is distinct from the Hubble slow-roll parameter $ϵ$.

Let $C=ϵ+1-c_s^2$ and use the Fourier transform convention $\zeta (\mathbf{x})=\int d^{3}k\zeta (\mathbf{k})e^{i\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{x}}/(2\pi {)}^3$. Conversion to conformal time givesThe last sign follows from substituting $a=-1/(H\tau )$, which is positive for $\tau <0$; dropping the explicit minus sign in that substitution would reverse the final primordial bispectrum.

At the order needed by the in-in formalism, the unequal-time Wick contraction isIt uses the Gaussian quantum vacuum two-point function with the displayed operator ordering; an arbitrary classical unequal-time covariance cannot replace it. For the connected three-point function, each external field contracts with one of the three fields at the vertex. There are $3!=6$ such Wick contractions, all equal. The spatial integral conserves total momentum and leaves one factor $(2\pi {)}^3{\delta }^{(3)}({\mathbf{k}}_1+{\mathbf{k}}_2+{\mathbf{k}}_3)$. The other nine pairings are disconnected tadpole terms supported on a zero external momentum; they are excluded from the connected primordial bispectrum, equivalently by subtracting the one-point function or normal ordering the vertex.

The free Gaussian odd correlator is zero. Applying the stated first-order in-in formalism therefore givesBy definition, the full connected correlator is $(2\pi {)}^3{\delta }^{(3)}({\sum }_r{\mathbf{k}}_r)B$. The assumptions are a Gaussian Bunch-Davies vacuum, the given leading cubic vertex, tree order, the late-time limit $\tau \to 0^{-}$, effectively constant background parameters, and connected nonzero external modes. No symmetry factor $1/3!$ is inserted into the given Hamiltonian.