Vulnerability of laptop computers to volcanic ash and gas

Abstract

Laptop computers are vital components of critical infrastructure sectors and a common tool in broader society. As they become more widely used, their exposure to volcanic hazards will increase. Therefore, understanding how laptops will function in volcanic environments is necessary to provide suitable mitigation options. In this study, laptop computers were subjected to volcanic ash and gas in both laboratory and field settings. None of the laptops sustained permanent damage in laboratory experiments; however, ash contamination did reduce the functionality of keyboards, CD drives, and cooling fans. Several laptops shut down temporarily due to overheating following ash contamination. In field experiments, laptops were exposed to high concentrations of volcanic gases at White Island, New Zealand. These laptops did not sustain permanent damage as only a small amount of gas was able to enter the laptops. However, metal components on the outside of the laptop did sustain minor corrosion. Re-examination of the laptops after 6 months indicated they were in full working order. Printed circuit boards suffered significant corrosion damage and ceased working only when in direct and sustained contact with volcanic gases. Simple mitigation techniques such as isolating laptops inside heavy duty polyethylene bags were effective. Overall, our experiments demonstrate that laptops have a relatively low risk of damage from volcanic ash and gas exposure, but have a low-medium risk of loss of functionality in ash environments. We think this has implications for other electronic equipment used extensively in critical infrastructure services.