  Solar flare precursors depict constrained rate of energy release contrasting
the imminent rapid energy release which calls for different regime of plasma
processes to be at play. Due to subtle emission during the precursor phase, its
diagnostics remain delusive, revealing either the non-thermal electrons (NTEs)
or the thermal conduction to be the driver. In this regard, we investigate the
chromospheric response during various phases of a B6.4 flare on August 20,
2005. Spatio-temporal investigation of flare ribbon enhancement during the
precursor phase, carried out using spectra-images recorded in several
wavelength positions on the H-alpha line profile, revealed its delayed response
(180 seconds) compared to the X-ray emission, as well as sequential increment
in the width of the line-profile which are indicative of a slow heating
process. However, energy contained in the H-alpha emission during the precursor
phase reach as high as 80% of that estimated during the main phase.
Additionally, the plasma hydrodynamics during the precursor phase, as resulted
from the application of a single-loop one-dimensional model, revealed the
presence of power-law extension in the model generated X-ray spectra, with flux
lower than the RHESSI background. Therefore, our multi-wavelength diagnostics
and hydrodynamical modeling of the precursor emission indicates the role of a
two-stage process. Firstly, reconnection triggered NTEs, although too small in
flux to overcome the observational constraints, thermalize in the upper
chromosphere. This leads to the generation of a slow conduction front which
causes plasma heating during the precursor phase.
