A method and apparatus for interrogating a sample that exhibits molecular
rotation are disclosed. In practicing the method, the sample is placed in
a container having both magnetic and electromagnetic shielding, and
Gaussian noise is injected into the sample. An electromagnetic
time-domain signal composed of sample source radiation superimposed on
the injected Guassian noise is detected, and this signal is
cross-correlated with a second time-domain signal produced by the same or
similar sample, to produce a cross-correlated signal with frequency
domain components. The latter is plotted in the frequency domain by a
fast Fourier transform to produce a frequency domain spectrum in a
frequency range within DC to 50 KHz. From this spectrum, one or more
low-frequency signal components that are characteristic of the sample
being interrogated are identified.