Time-Domain Frequency Correction Method for Averaging Low-Field NMR Signals Acquired in Urban Laboratory Environment

Using a second-order helium-cooled superconducting quantum interference device gradiometer as the detector, ultra-low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (ULF-NMR) signals of protons are recorded in an urban environment without magnetic shielding. The homogeneity and stability of the measurement field are investigated. NMR signals of protons are studied at night and during working hours. The Larmor frequency variation caused by the fluctuation of the external magnetic field during daytime reaches around 5 Hz when performing multiple measurements for about 10 min, which seriously affects the results of averaging. In order to improve the performance of the averaged data, we suggest the use of a data processor, i.e. the so-called time-domain frequency correction (TFC). For a 50-times averaged signal spectrum, the signal-to-noise ratio is enhanced from 30 to 120 when applying TFC while preserving the NMR spectrum linewidth. The TFC is also applied successfully to the measurement data of the hetero-nuclear J-coupling in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol.