Fermi acceleration refers to a process by which particles gain energy in a system where they are repeatedly scattered by moving obstacles. It is named after the physicist Enrico Fermi, who introduced this concept in the context of cosmic rays. In simple terms, the mechanism involves a particle (such as a proton) that moves through a medium filled with moving obstacles (like shock waves, magnetic fields, or other particles). When the moving particle interacts with these obstacles, it can gain kinetic energy.
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