Soft X-ray diffuse background

Maps of the diffuse X-ray background intensity covering essentially the entire sky with approx.70 spatial resolution are presented for seven energy bands: 130--188 eV (B band), 160--284 eV (Cband), 440--930 eV (M1 band), 600--1100 eV (M2 band), 770--1500 eV (I band), 1100--2200 eV (J band), and 1800--6300 eV (2--6 keV band). The data were obtained on a series of 10 sounding rocket flights conducted over a 7-year period. We have attempted to make the absolute intensities in these maps quantitatively accessible while still giving a clear qualitative display of the spatial features. The different nature of the spatial distributions in different bands implies at least three distinct origins for the diffuse X-rays, none of which is well understood. At energies > or approx. =2000 eV, an isotropic and presumably extragalactic spectrum of uncertain origin dominates. Between 500 and 1000 eV, an origin which is at least partially galactic seems called for. At energies <284 eV, the observed intensity is anticorrelated with neutral hydrogen column density, but we find it unlikely that this anticorrelation is simply due to absorption of an extragalactic or halo source