The response of a spin system to a long (in comparison to spin-spin re
laxation time T-2) radiofrequency pulse has been studied. We observed
that the magnetization after the long pulse does not fall to zero at t
ime t much greater than T-2 for both on-resonance and off-resonance co
nditions. The dependencies of the magnetization on frequency offset, l
inewidth and radiofrequency power are investigated, both theoretically
and experimentally. The question of the effective field direction is
also discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.