Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 312 1 v Solution 2026-09-28
Statistical homogeneity forces a scalar two-point function to have momenta . Statistical isotropy then makes it a function only of , so it is parity even without using perturbation theory.
For a scalar three-point function, momentum conservation gives , so all three vectors lie in one plane. A rotation by around the normal to that plane sends every to . Rotational invariance therefore identifies a triangle with its parity reverse, proving nonperturbatively that the scalar primordial bispectrum is parity even.
A rotationally invariant local parity-odd three-scalar vertex must contain a Levi-Civita symbol contracted with three spatial momenta. Its momentum-space factor is proportional tobecause momentum conservation makes the momenta linearly dependent. The equivalent position-space expression is a total divergence; its spatial integral vanishes under the stated vanishing boundary condition. Thus a parity-odd interaction of three scalar fields contributes nothing to the action.