Determining the rheological properties of a fluid through a non-linear response

A rheological property measurement system, comprising:

• a container that comprises a volume that encloses a fluid sample;
• a resonator disposed within the volume and in contact with the fluid sample;
• a detector positioned to measure at least one characteristic of the resonator based on an operation of the resonator in the fluid sample;
• and
• a control system communicably coupled to at least the resonator and the detector, the control system configured to perform operations comprising:
• actuating a resonator disposed in a volume that contains a fluid sample to operate the resonator in the fluid sample at a predetermined actuation scheme;
• actuating the resonator with an actuation protocol that actuates the resonator in at least one of a steady state motion or a time-dependent motion, wherein the actuation comprises inducing a measurable change on a motion of the resonator based at least in part due to one or more deformations in the fluid sample;
• measuring, with a photodetector positioned to receive a portion of a reflected laser beam that originates with a laser beam source toward a beam splitter and reflects from the operating resonator, at least one characteristic of the resonator based on the operation of the resonator in the fluid sample;
• comparing the at least one measured characteristic to a rheological model that associates characteristics of the fluid sample to one or more rheological properties;
• and
• based on the comparison, determining one or more rheological properties of the fluid sample.