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Calculates the optimal surface tilt angle (beta) that maximizes daily solar energy collection for a given location and season on Mars. The surface is assumed to face the equator. Based on Equations 40 and 43 from Appelbaum (1993).

Usage

optimal_angle(Ls, phi, unit = 1)

Arguments

Ls

Areocentric longitude [deg]

phi

Planetary latitude [deg]

unit

Output unit: 1 for radians, 2 for degrees (default: 1)

Value

Optimal tilt angle [rad] or [deg] depending on unit parameter