Molecules of l-alanine, irradiated in an electron-beam-processed barium ferrite coating, have been used as probes of local magnetic fields inside the coating. These probes have been used to measure the average magnetic fields HD and HL, and the field variation ΔH, in the coating. For these thin-film samples, the HD, HL, and ΔH values are proportional to the volume fraction of the barium ferrite and are given in (Oe) by HD =-3573 Vf cos θ, H L =1247 Vf and ΔH=1200 Vf. The value of HD was dependent on the angle θ between the external field direction and the sample normal, and was interpreted as a demagnetizing field. The value of HL was independent of direction, had a magnitude of (1)/(3) of HD, and was interpreted as a Lorentz field. The field variation ΔH was determined from changes in ESR spectra linewidth and is consistent with an inhomogeneous line broadening model.