The principle of reciprocity

Abstract

The circumstances surrounding the realisation that NMR signal reception could be quantified in a simple fundamental manner using Lorentz's Principle of Reciprocity are described. The poor signal-to-noise ratio of the first European superconducting magnet is identified as a major motivating factor, together with the author's need to understand phenomena at a basic level. A summary is then given of the thought processes leading to the very simple pseudo-static formula that has been the basis of signal-to-noise calculations for over a generation.