Rapid spectral and timing variability of Be/X-ray binaries during type II outbursts

X-ray colour-colour (CD) and colour-intensity (HID) diagrams are powerful tools that allow investigation of spectral variability without assuming any spectral model. These diagrams have been used extensively for low-mass X-ray binaries and black-hole candidates, but very few applications have been found for high-mass X-ray binaries. We investigated the spectral and timing variability of four accreting X-ray pulsars with Be-type companions during major X-ray outbursts. The aim is to define source states based on the properties (noise components) of the aperiodic variability in correlation with the position in the colour-colour diagram. Different spectral states were defined according to the value of the X-ray colours and flux. Transient Be/X-ray binaries exhibit two branches in their colour-colour and colour-intensity diagrams: i) the horizontal branch corresponds to a low-intensity state and shows the highest fractional rms, similar to the the island state in atolls and horizontal branch in Z sources; ii) the diagonal branch corresponds to a high-intensity state, in which the source stays for about 75% of the total duration of the outburst. Despite the complexity of the power spectra due to the peaks of the pulse period and its harmonics, the aperiodic variability of Be/X-ray binaries can be described with a relatively low number of Lorentzian components. Some of these components can be associated with the same type of noise as seen in low-mass X-ray binaries, although the characteristic frequencies are about one order of magnitude lower. The analysis of the CD/HID and power spectra results in two different types of Be/X. While in 4U 0115+63, KS 1947+300 and EXO 2030+375 the hard colour decreases as the count rate decreases, it increases in V0332+53. The pattern traced by V0332+53 then results in a Z-shaped track, similar to the low-mass sources, without the flaring branch. In contrast, the horizontal branch in 4U 0115+63, KS 1947+300 and EXO 2030+375 corresponds to a low/soft state, which is not seen in other types of X-ray binaries. The noise at very low frequencies follows a power law in V0332+53 (like in LMXB Z), and it is flat-topped in 4U 0115+63, KS 1947+300, and EXO 2030+375(like in LMXB atoll). V0332+53 shows a noise component coupled with the periodic variability that it is not seen in any of the other three sources. © 2008 ESO.