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In the limit where scalar field fluctuations dominate metric fluctuations, put $\zeta =-H\delta \varphi /\dot{\bar{\varphi }}$ and neglect derivatives of slowly varying background coefficients. Splitting $\delta X=\delta X_1+\delta X_2$ givesThe cubic terms $P_{XX}\delta X_1\delta X_2+P_{XXX}\delta X_1^3/6$ therefore yieldThe expression before factoring remains well-defined when $P_{XX}=0$. These interactions can generate substantial primordial non-Gaussianity when the Sound speed of a P(X, phi) scalar perturbation is small.

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.

Non-Gaussianity means a departure from Gaussian statistics of a physical quantity or random field. Higher connected correlation functions describe such departures. Primordial non-Gaussianity concerns the initial cosmological perturbations.

Let $\alpha =\log a$, and define $A=3H+V_{,\varphi }/\Pi$ on a patch with $\Pi \ne 0$. In the shear-negligible long-wavelength approximation in cosmology, the relations just derived givewith ${\partial }_{i}H=-4\pi G\Pi {\partial }_i\varphi$ and ${\partial }_i\Pi =-A{\partial }_i\varphi$. For the nonlinear curvature covector,commuting coordinate derivatives givesThe two terms proportional to ${\partial }_{i}N$ cancel exactly. The remaining expression isSubstituting the spatial relations cancels the gravitational terms and then the $A$ terms separately. ThereforeThis is nonlinear in perturbation amplitude; only the spatial-gradient truncation and the decaying-shear approximation have been used. Conservation does not require a spatially homogeneous lapse. On a uniform-field slice, ${\zeta }_i=-{\partial }_i\log a$, making its interpretation as a conserved local spatial-curvature perturbation transparent, with the sign convention used here.

For ordinary attractor single-field inflation, conservation means that nonlinear curvature correlations already generated near horizon exit are transported to later superhorizon times without additional local growth. It does not prove that the perturbation is Gaussian: horizon-scale interactions, the nonlinear relation to the field perturbation, and quantum initial conditions can generate a nonzero bispectrum. In canonical slow-roll inflation that primordial non-Gaussianity is usually slow-roll suppressed; the single-field inflation squeezed-limit consistency relation describes the effect of a long adiabatic mode on shorter modes under its stated attractor and initial-state assumptions. Strong local superhorizon primordial non-Gaussianity is therefore not generated merely by evolving this conserved variable. Entropy perturbations in multifield models, or non-attractor single-field phases for which the preceding single-clock and shear-neglect assumptions cannot be applied in this form, evade that inference. The result is a conservation theorem under explicit dynamical assumptions, not a blanket assertion that every single-field model has zero or small primordial non-Gaussianity.

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.

Let $A_k=H/(2\sqrt{ϵ}{M}_{\mathrm{Pl}}{k}^{3/2})$ and $K=k_1+k_2+k_3>0$. For the unconjugated integrand on the lower contour, the De Sitter curvature mode functions giveHere the two derivative factors supply ${\tau }^2$, cancelling $a^2=1/(H^2{\tau }^2)$. The vacuum prescription for inflationary in-in integrals can be implemented by a factor $e^{\delta \tau }$ on the real negative axis, with $\delta >0$, followed by $\delta \downarrow 0$. In this notationThereforeAn undamped boundary evaluation on the real axis at $-\infty$ is not valid. On the upper contour the complex-conjugate integrand instead yields the conjugate value. Conjugating the modes without conjugating the contour would produce exponential growth.

Using all six connected Wick contractions from the preceding part and $U=A_{k_1}{A}_{k_2}{A}_{k_3}$ gives the literal-Hamiltonian resultThe connected correlator is $(2\pi {)}^3{\delta }^{(3)}(\sum {\mathbf{k}}_i)B_{\mathcal{C}}$. The three assignments constitute the curvature bispectrum from a zeta zeta-prime-squared interaction. The numerator contains six powers of $H$ from the six modes, two of which are cancelled by $a^2$; the six powers of $M_{\mathrm{Pl}}$ remain unless the vertex supplies two.

Consequently the printed final expression, with $M_{\mathrm{Pl}}^{-4}$, is obtained for $\boxed{\mathcal{C}=M_{\mathrm{Pl}}^2}$. With the literal printed Hamiltonian $\mathcal{C}=1$, the answer instead has $\boxed{M_{\mathrm{Pl}}^{-6}}$. The Planck normalization of a cubic curvature interaction requires a factor $M_{\mathrm{Pl}}^2$ in the Hamiltonian if its final bispectrum is intended. In addition, integrating the intermediate expression literally with only three assignments gives half the fully contracted amplitude. These are normalization defects, rather than changes in the momentum shape. For dimensionless comoving curvature perturbations, the usual interaction normalization is also required by the mass dimension of the action.

For the standard normalization, $P_{\zeta }(k)=H^2/(4ϵM_{\mathrm{Pl}}^2{k}^3)$, so $B/P_{\zeta }^2$ is of order $ϵ$. This slow-roll suppression means that the primordial non-Gaussianity from this interaction alone is not expected to be detectably large. For example, in the squeezed bispectrum configuration $k_1\ll k_2\simeq k_3$, matching this contribution to the local convention gives $f_{\mathrm{NL}}=5ϵ/24$. This is a single-vertex contribution, not the complete single-field slow-roll inflation prediction; other vertices and field redefinitions contribute at the same slow-roll order. A claim of detectability for enhanced interactions requires a model beyond this approximation.

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.

Use exactly the stipulated unit-sound-speed mode functions for this integral. Their late-time values are real and $u_k^{\prime }{}^{\ast }(\tau )=H{k}^2\tau e^{ik\tau }/\sqrt{4ϵk^3}$. ConsequentlyThe vacuum contour lies above the negative real time axis, so $e^{iK\tau }$ decays at its past endpoint. With $s=iK+0^{+}$, repeated differentiation of ${\int }_{-\infty }^0{e}^{s\tau }d\tau =1/s$ givesSubstitution gives the bispectrum with consistent operator ordering and the stated Hamiltonian:The sign is positive in front of $\mathcal{A}$, contrary to the target's negative sign. The printed negative result is obtained algebraically if one uses the unstarred derivatives, $e^{-iK\tau }$, and the conjugate past contour, which gives $-2i/K^3$, while retaining $-2i$ outside. That combination is not the stated vacuum contour or the stated external-before-vertex contraction. A consistently conjugated representation must also conjugate the external prefactor and has the positive result above. The unit-speed cubic time-derivative bispectrum records these conventions explicitly.

The approximation treats $H$, $ϵ$ and the interaction coefficients as constant, uses the de Sitter approximation, retains only the stipulated vertex at tree level, and takes $k_i|{\tau }_{\mathrm{final}}|\to 0$ after doing the convergent early-time integral. The $i0$ prescription must be kept while imposing the past boundary condition; an arbitrary early-time cutoff leaves spurious oscillatory boundary terms. For a physical noncanonical quadratic action with $c_s\ne 1$, the mode functions also change to $H(1+i{c}_{s}k\tau )e^{-i{c}_{s}k\tau }/\sqrt{4ϵc_s{k}^3}$. They were not supplied here; the displayed calculation is conditional on the paper's specified modes, rather than a full self-consistent noncanonical power-spectrum calculation.

With the stipulated power spectrum $P_{\zeta }(k)=H^2/(4ϵk^3)$, an equilateral bispectrum configuration gives $B(k,k,k)/P(k{)}^2=2\mathcal{F}/9$. For the local-style normalization evaluated only at that triangle, $B(k,k,k)=(18/5)f_{\mathrm{NL}}^{\mathrm{effective}}P(k{)}^2$, this meansThis is a normalization convention for an equilateral amplitude, not a claim that the shape is local. In a squeezed bispectrum configuration, the ratio to the long-short power product is suppressed by $(k_L/k_S{)}^2$. Small sound speed or large higher-kinetic derivatives can make $|\mathcal{F}|$ large enough for potentially observable primordial non-Gaussianity, whereas $c_s\to 1$ with finite $\mathcal{A}$ suppresses this vertex. Detectability is conditional on amplitudes, the other cubic interactions, and perturbative control; it cannot be asserted from the given constants alone.

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.

The operator ${\dot{\varphi }}^2\varphi$ is not invariant under a scalar-field shift symmetry because one field is undifferentiated. An arbitrary large coefficient would therefore radiatively generate equally unsuppressed nonderivative operators, including a mass and a steep scalar potential, and would spoil the approximate shift symmetry and flat potential needed for single-field slow-roll inflation. In a technically natural slow-roll model its coefficient must consequently be small, so it does not produce parametrically large primordial non-Gaussianity. Treated merely as an effective spectator-field interaction, it does generate the tree-level primordial bispectrum computed below, whose size is controlled by the dimensionless interaction strength at the Hubble scale; taking that strength large abandons the controlled slow-roll premise.

At cubic order, the expansion of $P(X,\varphi )$ produces the schematic operatorsThe derivative self-interactions involving $P_{XX}$ and $P_{XXX}$ are generally largest when $c_s\ll 1$, while coefficients containing explicit $\varphi$ derivatives of a slowly varying $P$ are commonly slow-variation suppressed. The former therefore tend to dominate primordial non-Gaussianity.

The terms contributing to $\phi {\phi }^{\prime 2}$ areThusEquivalently, if the complete time-dependent coefficient is called $\lambda$, then $\lambda (\tau )=a^2{\lambda }_0$.

Treat ${\lambda }_0$ as constant at leading slow variation. To cubic order the corresponding interaction Hamiltonian isFor $q_i=c_s{k}_i$, the mode function above satisfiesWriting $K=k_1+k_2+k_3$, the needed regulated integral isThere are three choices for the undifferentiated leg and two contractions interchanging the differentiated legs. The stated in-in formalism formula therefore giveswithThe powers of $c_s$ cancel for this vertex with the normalization specified in part (i). Reversing the convention for the sign of $H_I$ reverses the displayed overall sign but not the momentum shape of the primordial bispectrum.