Fission time scales from prescisson charged-particle multiplicities

Prescission charged-particle multiplicities, following fusion of $^{164,167,170}\mathrm{Er}$${+}^{28}$Si, have been measured. The multiplicities at the lowest bombarding energies limit the statistical model level density parameters. More importantly, the \ensuremath{\alpha} data restrict the time spent near equilibrium and suggest evaporation occurs predominantly from larger deformations.