Fermi: on the origin of cosmic radiation

What changed

Proposed repeated magnetic-cloud interactions yielding a power-law acceleration tendency.

Scientific scope

The record is Fermi's sole-author 1949 Physical Review paper. It does not absorb later first-order shock acceleration, modern source populations, detailed propagation models or observational confirmation beyond the paper.

Evidence

The linked sources identify this contribution and its scope. WRS has not independently reconstructed the scientific claims. The record is Fermi's sole-author 1949 Physical Review paper. It does not absorb later first-order shock acceleration, modern source populations, detailed propagation models or observational confirmation beyond the paper.

Contributors

• Enrico Fermi · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.

• APS paper record for Fermi cosmic-ray acceleration

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

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