Edge-on view of the Galactic disk at different azimuthal slices. The Sun’s position is at galactic azimuth ϕ = 0°, and ϕ > 0° is the direction of galactic rotation. The thick dashed line shows the median vertical distribution at a given Galactocentric radius R within ±1 kpc, while the thin dotted lines show the 84th and 16th percentiles of the vertical distribution. The inhomogeneous clumps in the density are cross sections of the spiral arms, as discussed in the text.