Variability of Galactic Be stars using ASAS-3

Complex photometric variations were established in most stars: outbursts on different time-scales (in 73+/-5 per cent of stars), long-term variations (36+/-6 per cent), periodic variations on intermediate time-scales (1+/-1 per cent), and short-term periodic variations (6+/-3 per cent). 24+/-6 per cent of the outbursting stars exhibit (semi)periodic outbursts. We close the apparent void of rare outbursters reported by Labadie-Bartz et al. (2017AJ....153..252L, Cat.

J/AJ/153/252) and show that Be stars with infrequent outbursts are not rare. While we do not find a significant difference in the percentage of stars showing outbursts among early-type, mid-type, and late-type Be stars, we show that early-type Be stars exhibit much more frequent outbursts. We have measured rising and falling times for well-covered and well-defined outbursts.

Nearly all outburst events are characterized by falling times that exceed the rising times. No differences were found between early-, mid-, and late-type stars; a single non-linear function adequately describes the ratio of falling time to rising time across all spectral subtypes, with the ratio being larger for short events.