Solid angle distributions of N_H in the different gas phases from the three analyses: in the optically thin H i gas of the local cloud and intermediate-velocity arc; in the DNM gas as traced in γ rays (solid) or in dust (dashed); and in the CO phase with the γ-ray derived X_CO factors. The data points give the mean dust properties (A_VQ/N_H, opacity, and specific power) in each phase. They are placed at the position of the average column density in each phase. The insert gives the colour code and symbol for each phase.