A key requirement to determining the structure, mass, and dynamics of the CGM is understanding its distribution along the disk axis. We use HST/COS observations of a set of novel UV-bright QSOs along the plane of the Milky Way from the Plane Quasar Survey to test the latest hydrodynamical, cosmological simulations that suggest extended, ionized disk-like structures in galaxies may persist out to ~100 kpc. Our study addresses two primary questions: (1) With an unbiased view of its gaseous halo, is the Milky Way an anomaly compared to other L* galaxies? (2) Does the MWCGM show evidence for an extended, outer, ionized disk morphology, and if so, what are its properties?

CGM2024_JWerk.pdf

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