Parity-odd scalar interaction 2026-09-28
A parity-odd scalar interaction is rotationally invariant but changes sign under spatial reflection. It must contain a pseudoscalar contraction, such as a Levi-Civita symbol contracted with three spatial gradients.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 312 1 ii Solution 2026-09-28
The first-order in-in formalism formula at observation time isFourier transforming the three derivatives giveswhere . Because the four species are distinct, Wick contraction pairs each vertex field with the external field of the same species and introduces no permutation factor. IfthenCombining this with part i gives the requested time integral:The factor is a pseudoscalar, so the resulting primordial trispectrum is parity odd and purely imaginary in this momentum-space convention.