Time-resolution experiments using x-ray synchrotron radiation

Many important biological, chemical and physical phenomena take place on time scales of nanoseconds or picoseconds. Those working to unravel the time development of such fast processes have long recognized that pulsed electromagnetic radiation and particle beams often make more incisive probes than do continuous emissions. During the last decade, a powerful new device joined the arsenal of modulated radiation sources available to scientists attacking problems that require good temporal resolution—the high-energy storage ring.