Observation of near-scission "polar" and "equatorial" proton emission in heavy-ion induced fission

Proton and $\alpha$-particle energy spectra were measured in coincidence with fission fragments at different relative angles in $^{16}$O (96 MeV) + $^{232}$Th reaction. The multiplicity spectra were analyzed within the framework of a Moving Source Disentangling Analysis (MSDA) to determine contributions from different emission stages. The MSDA conclusively shows ``Near Scission Emission (NSE)" as an essential component in the multiplicity spectra. In contrast to NSE $\alpha$ particles which emit mainly perpendicular (``equatorial emission"), the NSE protons are observed to be emitted perpendicular as well as parallel (``polar emission") to the fission axis with similar intensities ($\sim$20\% for each). Thus, around 40\% of total pre-scission protons are emitted near the scission stage, whereas the same fraction for $\alpha$ particles is only around 10\%. The inevitable presence of ``polar" and ``equatorial" NSE protons in a heavy-ion induced fission has been observed for the first time. Present results open up a new avenue to study the heavy-ion induced fission dynamics.