The diffuse X-ray background spectrum from 3 to 50keV

The spectrum of the extragalactic diffuse X-ray background was measured with the GSFC cosmic X-ray experiment on HEAO-1 for regions of the sky away from known point sources and more than 20 deg from the galactic plane. A total exposure of 80 sq m-sec-sr is available at present. Free-free emission from an optically thin plasma of 40 plus or minus 5 keV provides an excellent description of the observed spectrum from 3 to 50 keV. This spectral shape is confirmed by measurements from 5 separate layers of three independent detectors. With an estimated absolute precision of about 10 percent, the intensity of the emission at 10 keV is 3.2 keV/keV-sq cm-sec-sr, a value consistent with the average of previously reported spectra. No other spectral features, such as iron line emission, are evident. This spectrum is not typical of known extragalactic objects. A uniform hot intergalactic medium of approximately 36 percent of the closure density of the universe would produce such a flux, although non-uniform models indicating less total matter are probably more realistic.