TBA and tree expansion

Abstract

We propose an alternative, statistical, derivation of the Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz based on the tree expansion of the Gaudin determinant. We illustrate the method on the simplest example of a theory with diagonal scattering and no bound states. We reproduce the expression for the free energy density and the finite size corrections to the energy of an excited state as well as the LeClair-Mussardo series for the one-point function for local operators.