The transfer of spin polarization from one spin population to another is generally called Overhauser Effect, after American physicist Albert Overhauser who hypothesized it in the early 1950s. The phenomenon was demonstrated by C. P. Slichter and T. R.Carver in 1953. Overhauser effect occurs under different conditions (e.g., between electrons and atomic nuclei) yet is most commonly observed and used amongst atomic nuclei and then named Nuclear Overhauser Effect (NOE). A very common application is NOESY (Nuclear Overhauser Effect SpectroscopY), a magnetic resonance technique for structure determination of macromolecular motifs. Other techniques include:

• HOESY, Heterogeneous Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy
• ROESY, Rotational Frame Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy
• TRNOE, Transferred Nuclear Overhauser Effect