Overview of the various datasets used in this study. Top row: continuum intensity maps derived from the STAGGER simulations (full spatial resolution); middle row: same as above but convolved with a point spread function (PSF; taken from Couvidat et al. 2016, with γ = 2.5); and bottom row: continuum intensity maps provided by the HMI instrument (different longitudes along the equator), obtained on 7 June 2010 (B₀ = 0°). All of the datasets are shown for three different viewing angles, −60° (left column, right side points toward disk center), 0° (middle column), and + 60° (right column, left side points toward disk center). The HMI data and the synthetic data convolved with the PSF are plotted on the same scale.