L X-ray fluorescence cross sections and yields in the atomic region 59 < Z < 82 excited by 16.58 keV photons

L(nu), L(alpha), L(beta), and L(gamma)X-ray fluorescence cross sections for Pr, Sm, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, Pt Au, and Pb were measured at the excitation energy 16.58 keV. An X-ray tube and a secondary exciter system was used instead of radioisotopes for the measurements. Experimental cross sections are compared with the theoretical estimates based on relativistic Dirac-Hartree-Slater theory. Average L-shell fluorescence yields <(omega)over bar (L)> are deduced using the present experimental cross sections and the theoretical subshell photoionization cross sections. The derived average fluorescence yields are fitted by least squares to polynomials in Z of the form Sigma(n) a(n) Z(n) and compared with theoretical and earlier fitted values. Good agreement is observed between the experimental results and the theoretical estimates based on relativistic Dirac-Hartree-Slater theory.