Deep Chandra exposures reveal the presence of diffuse X-ray emission with a luminosity of 1.3 \times 10 ^ { 39 } ergs s ^ { -1 } from the spiral galaxy NGC 3184 .
This appears to be truly diffuse thermal emission distinct from the low-luminosity LMXB emission .
While the unresolved emission from older LMXBs is more uniformly distributed across the galaxy , the diffuse X-ray emission is concentrated in areas of younger stellar populations and star forming regions .
The surface brightness of the diffuse emission over the spiral arms is five times greater than in off-arm regions , and eight times brighter in H II regions than in non-H II regions .
Spectral fits to the diffuse thermal emission are consistent with a low temperature component , T \sim 1.5 \times 10 ^ { 6 } K , plus a higher temperature component , T \sim 5 \times 10 ^ { 6 } K .