In the JET tokamak the perpendicular velocity distribution function of ICRF
heated ions is inferred in the energy range 0.3 less than or equal to E (M
eV) less than or equal to 1.5 from neutral particle analyser measurements o
f the emitted high energy atomic flux. The measurements are integrated alon
g a vertical line of sight through the plasma centre, with a finite viewing
solid angle. A method is presented to deduce the ICRF heated minority ion
density in the plasma centre taking into full consideration the geometry of
the measurements. The results are verified against independent measurement
s of fast ion density and perpendicular energy content, and quantitative ag
reement is obtained. These results further validate the model of impurity i
nduced neutralization, which was developed to interpret the high energy ato
mic flux measurements in JET. They give access to fundamental properties of
the ICRF heated ion distribution function, and provide improved tools for
understanding the behaviour of fast ion populations in forthcoming fusion p
lasma experiments.