Rename solar position inputs in tracking.singleaxis

docs/examples/agrivoltaics/plot_agrivoltaics_ground_irradiance.py

@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@
 # of the trackers. For a single-axis tracker, this can be calculated as:
 
 tracking_orientations = pvlib.tracking.singleaxis(
-    apparent_zenith=solpos['apparent_zenith'],
-    apparent_azimuth=solpos['azimuth'],
+    solar_zenith=solpos['apparent_zenith'],
+    solar_azimuth=solpos['azimuth'],
     axis_azimuth=axis_azimuth,
     max_angle=max_angle,
     backtrack=True,

docs/examples/shading/plot_martinez_shade_loss.py

@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@
 )  # unpack for better readability
 
 tracking_result = pvlib.tracking.singleaxis(
-    apparent_zenith=solar_apparent_zenith,
-    apparent_azimuth=solar_azimuth,
+    solar_zenith=solar_apparent_zenith,
+    solar_azimuth=solar_azimuth,
     axis_tilt=axis_tilt,
     axis_azimuth=axis_azimuth,
     max_angle=(-90 + cross_axis_tilt, 90 + cross_axis_tilt),  # (min, max)

docs/examples/solar-tracking/plot_single_axis_tracking.py

@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@
 solpos = solarposition.get_solarposition(times, lat, lon)
 
 truetracking_angles = tracking.singleaxis(
-    apparent_zenith=solpos['apparent_zenith'],
-    apparent_azimuth=solpos['azimuth'],
+    solar_zenith=solpos['apparent_zenith'],
+    solar_azimuth=solpos['azimuth'],
     axis_tilt=0,
     axis_azimuth=180,
     max_angle=90,
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@
 
 for gcr in [0.2, 0.4, 0.6]:
     backtracking_angles = tracking.singleaxis(
-        apparent_zenith=solpos['apparent_zenith'],
-        apparent_azimuth=solpos['azimuth'],
+        solar_zenith=solpos['apparent_zenith'],
+        solar_azimuth=solpos['azimuth'],
         axis_tilt=0,
         axis_azimuth=180,
         max_angle=90,

docs/examples/solar-tracking/plot_single_axis_tracking_on_sloped_terrain.py

@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@
 fig, ax = plt.subplots()
 for cross_axis_tilt in [0, 5, 10]:
     tracker_data = tracking.singleaxis(
-        apparent_zenith=solpos['apparent_zenith'],
-        apparent_azimuth=solpos['azimuth'],
+        solar_zenith=solpos['apparent_zenith'],
+        solar_azimuth=solpos['azimuth'],
         axis_tilt=0,  # flat because the axis is perpendicular to the slope
         axis_azimuth=180,  # N-S axis, azimuth facing south
         max_angle=90,
@@ -155,8 +155,8 @@
 # before:
 
 tracker_data = tracking.singleaxis(
-    apparent_zenith=solpos['apparent_zenith'],
-    apparent_azimuth=solpos['azimuth'],
+    solar_zenith=solpos['apparent_zenith'],
+    solar_azimuth=solpos['azimuth'],
     axis_tilt=axis_tilt,  # no longer flat because the terrain imparts a tilt
     axis_azimuth=axis_azimuth,
     max_angle=90,

docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.13.1.rst

@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ Breaking Changes
 
 Deprecations
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
+* Rename parameter name ``aparent_zenith`` to ``solar_zenith`` and ``aparent_azimuth``
+  to ``solar_azimuth`` in :py:func:`~pvlib.tracking.singleaxis`.
+  (:issue:`2479`, :pull:`2480`)
 
 Bug fixes
 ~~~~~~~~~

pvlib/tracking.py

@@ -4,9 +4,18 @@
 from pvlib.tools import cosd, sind, tand, acosd, asind
 from pvlib import irradiance
 from pvlib import shading
-
-
-def singleaxis(apparent_zenith, apparent_azimuth,
+from pvlib._deprecation import renamed_kwarg_warning
+
+
+@renamed_kwarg_warning(
+    since='0.13.1',
+    old_param_name='apparent_zenith',
+    new_param_name='solar_zenith')
+@renamed_kwarg_warning(
+    since='0.13.1',
+    old_param_name='apparent_azimuth',
+    new_param_name='solar_azimuth')
+def singleaxis(solar_zenith, solar_azimuth,
                axis_tilt=0, axis_azimuth=0, max_angle=90,
                backtrack=True, gcr=2.0/7.0, cross_axis_tilt=0):
     """
@@ -30,10 +39,10 @@ def singleaxis(apparent_zenith, apparent_azimuth,
 
     Parameters
     ----------
-    apparent_zenith : float, 1d array, or Series
+    solar_zenith : float, 1d array, or Series
         Solar apparent zenith angles in decimal degrees.
 
-    apparent_azimuth : float, 1d array, or Series
+    solar_azimuth : float, 1d array, or Series
         Solar apparent azimuth angles in decimal degrees.
 
     axis_tilt : float, default 0
@@ -117,16 +126,16 @@ def singleaxis(apparent_zenith, apparent_azimuth,
     # MATLAB to Python conversion by
     # Will Holmgren (@wholmgren), U. Arizona. March, 2015.
 
-    if isinstance(apparent_zenith, pd.Series):
-        index = apparent_zenith.index
+    if isinstance(solar_zenith, pd.Series):
+        index = solar_zenith.index
     else:
         index = None
 
     # convert scalars to arrays
-    apparent_azimuth = np.atleast_1d(apparent_azimuth)
-    apparent_zenith = np.atleast_1d(apparent_zenith)
+    solar_azimuth = np.atleast_1d(solar_azimuth)
+    solar_zenith = np.atleast_1d(solar_zenith)
 
-    if apparent_azimuth.ndim > 1 or apparent_zenith.ndim > 1:
+    if solar_azimuth.ndim > 1 or solar_zenith.ndim > 1:
         raise ValueError('Input dimensions must not exceed 1')
 
     # The ideal tracking angle, omega_ideal, is the rotation to place the sun
@@ -141,12 +150,12 @@ def singleaxis(apparent_zenith, apparent_azimuth,
     omega_ideal = shading.projected_solar_zenith_angle(
         axis_tilt=axis_tilt,
         axis_azimuth=axis_azimuth,
-        solar_zenith=apparent_zenith,
-        solar_azimuth=apparent_azimuth,
+        solar_zenith=solar_zenith,
+        solar_azimuth=solar_azimuth,
     )
 
     # filter for sun above panel horizon
-    zen_gt_90 = apparent_zenith > 90
+    zen_gt_90 = solar_zenith > 90
     omega_ideal[zen_gt_90] = np.nan
 
     # Account for backtracking
@@ -191,7 +200,7 @@ def singleaxis(apparent_zenith, apparent_azimuth,
     surface_tilt = surface['surface_tilt']
     surface_azimuth = surface['surface_azimuth']
     aoi = irradiance.aoi(surface_tilt, surface_azimuth,
-                         apparent_zenith, apparent_azimuth)
+                         solar_zenith, solar_azimuth)
 
     # Bundle DataFrame for return values and filter for sun below horizon.
     out = {'tracker_theta': tracker_theta, 'aoi': aoi,