Distribution of μ_ℓ,max versus ℓ distribution for the S-NSB model (red markers and smoothed fit) compared to the axisymmetric NSD (blue). Each panel shows a different nuclear bar angle, α. For small angles |α| ≲ 20°, the NSB produces a ‘step’ feature in the central region (|ℓ| < 1°) that clearly deviates from the flat NSD distribution. This asymmetry weakens substantially as |α| ≳ increases, and becomes indistinguishable from the NSD at α = 0° or ±90°, limiting this diagnostic’s applicability to a narrow range of nuclear bar orientations. Black open circles show measurements from individual midplane fields with N = 1500 stars each from the S-NSB model. Uncertainties are estimated via bootstrap resampling.