Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The physics of synchrotron-light emission is an established field, and the generation and use of synchrotron light is nowadays a mature technology. This book provides a broad introduction to the topic in an easy-to-read format, describing the fundamental underpinning physics, and combining rigorous treatment of the main concepts with a fresh outlook. The presentation is rich in images and graphics, that is typical of basic physics textbooks. All topics are described in a way that requires only undergraduate knowledge in physics and mathematics, and, with only a few exceptions, all results are derived from first principles. This book covers most of the well-known topics in the generation of synchrotron light by charged particles in accelerators and their special relativity and classical electrodynamics underpinnings. Synchrotron light, however, is much more pervasive throughout the broader fabric of physics than a cursory treatment would suggest. This book does justice to the centrality of the concept of synchrotron light, discussing the quantum mechanics and quantum optics aspects of synchrotron light, the generation of synchrotron light in the cosmos and its use in modern astrophysics, and finally the generalisations of the concept of synchrotron light to interactions other than the electromagnetic interaction. This book is a journey, or rather, multiple possible journeys across the landscape of physics. Through this variety of paths, the book aims at reaching several different communities in the quantitative physical sciences, and at bringing together a number of often-disconnected communities of learners and practitioners.</jats:p>