Be/X-Ray Binaries: Phenomenology, Variability, and Accretion Dynamics

Be/X-ray binaries constitute the largest and most diverse subgroup of neutron star high-mass X-ray binaries. These systems feature a rapidly rotating Be star surrounded by a circumstellar decretion disk that serves as the primary reservoir of accreted matter onto a strongly magnetized neutron star. While a few Be/X-ray binaries remain persistently active, the majority manifest as hard X-ray transient sources, becoming detectable only during X-ray outbursts. This review synthesizes current understanding of their rich phenomenology across optical and X-ray wavelengths, focusing on variability ocurring over timescales that span from seconds to years.