Abstract

In this article we address the problem of getting the temperature dependence of the ?-? scattering lengths in the frame of the linear sigma model. Using the real time formalism, we calculate all the relevant one loop diagrams. The temperature corrections are only considered in the pion sector, due to the Boltzmann suppression for heavier fields like the sigma meson. From this analysis we obtain the thermal behavior of the s waves scattering lengths a00 and a02 associated to isospin I=0 and I=2, respectively. If we normalize with the zero temperature value it turns out that a00(T)a00 grows with temperature, whereas the opposite occurs with a02(T)a02. Finally we compare our results with other determinations of the scattering lengths based on the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model and chiral perturbation theory. © 2008 The American Physical Society.