Abstract:
The quest to understand the vast expanse of our galaxy and the multitude of planetary systems it hosts has led to groundbreaking discoveries in the field of exoplanetary science. The Scaling K2 collaboration embarked on a journey that has produced the only homogeneous sample of exoplanets observed by K2, the follow-on mission to well-characterized Kepler transit survey. This comprehensive catalog has not only expanded the inventory of known exoplanets, but also broadened our perspective on galactic latitudes, stellar ages, masses, and metallicities. I will provide an overview of the recent findings from this project and the implications for planet formation and dynamics. In addition, the nearly 30 year radial velocity baseline of the California Legacy Survey has enabled demographic analysis of planets both within and beyond each respective system's ice line. I will present our recent work unveiling the architectural characteristics that give rise to the enigmatic planet class of hot Jupiters. Overall, our findings challenge existing paradigms and propel us closer to unraveling the complex tapestry of planetary systems across the galaxy.