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A supercharger is an optional part of an internal combustion engine that is designed to compress the air entering the engine, which means there is more oxygen for the fuel to react with, giving the engine more power. Airplanes can use superchargers to get more power from their engines. If a supercharger is used, this higher density air can cause the engine to combust before it should - an issue called pre-ignition. Pre-ignition is followed by knocking, which happens when some of the fuel ignites improperly. Knocking can be fixed by using a higher octane fuel.