The pion-pion scattering lengths from DIRAC

Abstract

The scattering lengths of a two pion system are the {\it golden magnitudes} to test the QCD predictions in the low energy sector. The DIRAC (PS-212) experiment at CERN will obtain a particular combination of the S-wave isospin 0 and 2 scattering lengths by measuring the lifetime of pionium, the hydrogen-like ${\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}$ atom. This measurement tests the accurate predictions of the Chiral Perturbation Theory. The most recent experimental results are presented.

Comments: Talk presented at Xth International Conference on Hadron Spectroscopy HADRON '03, August 31 -- September 6, 2003, Aschaffenburg, Germany