Coronal and chromospheric observations of pre- and post-flare plasma evolution

Solar flares are among the most energetic and spectacular events occurring in our solar system, produced by the release of stored magnetic energy in the solar atmosphere through the reconnection of twisted and/or sheared magnetic fields. Although the magnetic field itself is difficult to observe in the solar atmosphere, we can gain vital insights into the reconnection process by studying the evolution of solar plasma prior to and following the flare. Here we present contemporaneous spectroscopic and imaging observations of an X9.3 solar flare from 2017-September-6. This was the largest flare of the current solar cycle to date, and was well observed in the corona by SDO/AIA and Hinode/EIS as well as in the chromosphere by instruments at the ground-based Swedish Solar Telescope. This combination of observations provides spectroscopic information throughout the solar atmosphere, giving a unique insight into the evolution of plasma in the lead-up to and following the flare.