Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
We present an analysis of line profile variability of the Be star α Eri (Achernar). Spectra of He I λ667.8nm were collected at Brazilian Laboratório Nacional de Astrofísica (LNA) during 10 observing runs covering 27 nights in 6 years. The presence of a 1.26 days period reported previously is confirmed and we report also the detection of other periods (0.73 and 0.53 days) and a possible 12.5 days modulation. A transient high-velocity absorption component with RV = −500 km/s, higher than −υsini (−220 km/s) has appeared at the end of 1993, near the presumed maximum of the Hα emission phase.