The origin and properties of X-ray emitting gas in the halos of both starburst and normal spiral galaxies

I discuss the empirical properties of diffuse X-ray emitting gas in the halos of both nearby starburst galaxies and normal spiral galaxies, based on high resolution X-ray spectral imaging with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Diffuse thermal X-ray emission can provide us with unique observational probes of outflow and accretion processes occurring in star-forming galaxies, and their interaction with the intergalactic medium. I consider both the spatial distribution of the diffuse X-ray emission in and around edge-on starburst galaxies with superwinds (eg. surface brightness profiles, distribution with respect to Ha and radio emission), and its spectral properties (eg. thermal or non-thermal nature, abundance ratios, temperatures and soft and hard X-ray luminosities). These results are discussed in the context of current theoretical models of supernovadriven superwinds, and compared to the more limited data on extra-planar hot gas around edge-oil normal galaxies.