Decay of $^{10}$C excited states above the 2$p$ + 2$\alpha $ threshold and the contribution from ``democratic'' two-proton emission

The decay of $^{10}$C excited states to the 2$p$ +2$\alpha $ exit channel has been studied using an E/A = 10.7 MeV $^{10}$C beam inelastically scattered from a $^{9}$Be target. Levels associated with the two-proton decay to the ground state of $^{8}$Be have been observed. These include states at 5.18 and 6.54 MeV which decay by sequential two-proton emission through the long-lived intermediate state of $^{9}$B. In addition, these two states have branches, or there exist other states at almost the same energies, for which there is no long-lived intermediate state between the two proton emissions. For the 6.57 MeV state, the two protons are preferably emitted on the same side of the decaying $^{10}$C fragment. Evidence is found for a state at E$^{\ast }$= 8.4 MeV in $^{10}$C which decays through the 2.35 MeV second excited state of $^{9}$B. A large data set of kinematically complete $^{6}$Be$\to $2p + $\alpha $ events was also collected.