We present the results of OSSE observations of the soft gamma ray continuum emission from the Galactic plane at longitude 95 ^ { \circ } .
Emission is detected between 50 and 600 keV where the spectrum is fit well by a power law with photon index -2.6 \pm 0.3 and flux ( 4.0 \pm 0.5 ) \times 10 ^ { -2 } photons s ^ { -1 } cm ^ { -2 } rad ^ { -1 } MeV ^ { -1 } at 100 keV .
This spectral shape in this range is similar to that found for the continuum emission from the inner Galaxy but the amplitude is lower by a factor of four .
This emission is either due to unresolved and previously unknown point sources or it is of diffuse origin , or a combination of the two .
Simultaneous observations with OSSE and smaller field of view instruments operating in the soft gamma ray energy band , such as XTE or SAX , would help resolve this issue .
If it is primarily diffuse emission due to nonthermal electron bremsstrahlung , as is the > 1 MeV Galactic ridge continuum , then the power in low energy cosmic ray electrons exceeds that of the nuclear component of the cosmic rays by an order of magnitude .
This would have profound implications for the origin of cosmic rays and the energetics of the interstellar medium .
Alternatively , if the emission is diffuse and thermal , then there must be a component of the interstellar medium at temperatures \sim 10 ^ { 9 } K .