Stellar activity observed by the kepler space telescope: The systems with two planets and two active longitudes KOI 877 and KOI 896

Abstract

Unique high-accuracy 33.5-day continuous photometric observations of the KOI 877 and KOI 896 systems are used to study their surface inhomogeneities and trace the evolution of spots over two to three rotational periods. These systems are two of five candidate multi-planet objects. We found evidence for the existence of two active longitudes on the surfaces of KOI 877 and KOI 896, separated by 165° and 135°, respectively. The fraction of the surface area covered by the spots is similar to the solar one, and comprises about 0.6–1.1% of the total visible surfaces of the stars. A switch of the active longitudes likely occurred in KOI 877 during the observation period. Calculated maps of surface temperature inhomogeneities may be helpful for more accurate derivations of the parameters of planetary systems.