The Distribution and Condition of the Warm Molecular Gas in Abell 2597
  and Sersic 159-03
  We have used the SINFONI integral field spectrograph to map the near-infrared
K-band emission lines of molecular and ionised hydrogen in the central regions
of two cool core galaxy clusters, Abell 2597 and Sersic 159-03. Gas is detected
out to 20 kpc from the nuclei of the brightest cluster galaxies and found to be
distributed in clumps and filaments around it. The ionised and molecular gas
phases trace each other closely in extent and dynamical state. Both gas phases
show signs of interaction with the active nucleus. Within the nuclear regions
the kinetic luminosity of this gas is found to be somewhat smaller than the
current radio luminosity. Outside the nuclear region the gas has a low velocity
dispersion and shows smooth velocity gradients. There is no strong correlation
between the intensity of the molecular and ionised gas emission and either the
radio or X-ray emission. The molecular gas in Abell 2597 and Sersic 159-03 is
well described by a gas in local thermal equilibrium (LTE) with a single
excitation temperature T_exc ~ 2300 K. The emission line ratios do not vary
strongly as function of position, with the exception of the nuclear regions
where the ionised to molecular gas ratio is found decrease. These constant line
ratios imply a single source of heating and excitation for both gas phases.
