The internal magnetic field distribution, and single exponential magnetic resonance free induction decay, in rocks

When fluid saturated porous media are subjected to an applied uniform magnetic field, an internal magnetic field, inside the pore space, is induced due to magnetic susceptibility differences between the pore-filling fluid and the solid matrix. The microscopic distribution of the internal magnetic field, and its gradients, was simulated based on the thin-section pore structure of a sedimentary rock. The simulation results were verified experimentally. We show that the 'decay due to diffusion in internal field' magnetic resonance technique may be applied to measure the pore size distribution in partially saturated porous media. For the first time, we have observed that the internal magnetic field and its gradients in porous rocks have a Lorentzian distribution, with an average gradient value of zero. The Lorentzian distribution of internal magnetic field arises from the large susceptibility contrast and an intrinsic disordered pore structure in these porous media. We confirm that the single exponential magnetic resonance free induction decay commonly observed in fluid saturated porous media arises from a Lorentzian internal field distribution. A linear relationship between the magnetic resonance linewidth, and the product of the susceptibility difference in the porous media and the applied magnetic field, is observed through simulation and experiment.