Using Arcminute Microkelvin Imager (AMI) SZ observations towards ten CLASH clusters we investigate the influence of cluster mergers on observational galaxy cluster studies. Although selected to be largely relaxed, there is disagreement in the literature on the dynamical states of CLASH sample members. We analyse our AMI data in a fully Bayesian way to produce estimated cluster parameters and consider the intrinsic correlations in our NFW/GNFW-based model. Varying pressure profile shape parameters, illustrating an influence of mergers on scaling relations, induces small deviations from the canonical self-similar predictions -- in agreement with simulations of Poole et al. 2007 who found that merger activity causes only small scatter perpendicular to the relations. We demonstrate this effect observationally using the different dependencies of SZ and X-ray signals to $n_{rm e}$ that cause different sensitivities to the shocking and/or fractionation produced by mergers. Plotting $Y_{rm X}$--$M_{rm gas}$ relations (where $Y_{rm X}=M_{rm gas}T$) derived from AMI SZ and from $Chandra$ X-ray gives ratios of AMI and $Chandra$ $Y_{rm X}$ and $M_{rm gas}$ estimates that indicate movement of clusters textit{along} the scaling relation, as predicted by Poole et al. 2007. Clusters that have moved most along the relation have the most discrepant $T_{rm SZ}$ and $T_{rm X}$ estimates: all the other clusters (apart from one) have SZ and X-ray estimates of $M_{rm gas}$, $T$ and $Y_{rm X}$ that agree within $r_{500}$. We use SZ vs X-ray discrepancies in conjunction with $Chandra$ maps and $T_{rm X}$ profiles, making comparisons with simulated cluster merger maps in Poole et al. 2006, to identify disturbed members of our sample and estimate merger stages.
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