aidansean
Sterilization-Tank.jpg

A retrofitted high pressure tank used to contain SCP-XXXX-2.

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX consists of four samples (known as SCP-XXXX-2 through 5) and an off-site contained mass, known as SCP-XXXX-1. SCP-XXXX-2 through 5 are located in the basement of Site-19, protected by two air tight doors, in addition to the door to the containment chamber itself. The samples must be kept in a locked, airtight containment chamber no larger than 100 m3 at all times. Each sample must be kept in at least three nested, hermetically sealed vessels which must remain placed on automatic pressure sensors. If the mass of a sample is found to increase by more than 1% the relevant pressure sensor will activate an alarm indicating a primary vessel breach. In such circumstances an additional vessel must fitted around the existing vessels without delay. A tank containing 100 m3 of water is maintained above the chamber, and can flood the chamber in the case of catastrophic containment breach.

SCP-XXXX-1 is located offsite in the Sahara Desert at 21°5█'██"N 33°4█'██"E. It is encased by two large nested concrete structures with walls 0.4-0.6m thick which are hermetically sealed. The floor of the cavity of the outer vessel is continually lit by multiply redundant floodlights and continually monitored by redundant CCTV equipment. All electrical equipment is separated from the main cavity by 10cm thick reinforced glass. SCP-XXXX-1 currently occupies a space measuring 24.3 x 18.6 x 5.2 m and has a mass of 3.95 x 106 kg. The outer vessel is sealed from the surrounding area with high security fencing and signage suggesting the site is a nuclear waste dump.

Description: SCP-XXXX-1 is a large mass of common sand with the anomalous property whereby the grains spontaneously replicate, increasing the occupied mass and volume of sand in all available directions at an effective speed of 0.12 cms-1. The mass of sand will continue to increase occupying all available space until resistance is encountered. Tests to date show that a pressure of 350 kPa is sufficient to prevent further expansion (with the exception of the two incidents noted below). Tests indicate that at least 130 g of sand must accumulate before expansion of the sample resumes. Immersing samples in water had been found to prevent further mass growth, provided the water maintains a sufficiently high ambient pressure.

The first sample was recovered from the Sahara Dessert in October 19██ following an unusually violent sand storm in the region where high winds caused continual movement of sand, despite no significant change in the local landscape. After the end of the storm the local dunes were observed to increase in size at an unnatural rate and the existing structure was built as an emergency measure to contain the sand until further study became possible.

Studies show somewhat unpredictable behaviour of the sand. In some cases the mass of sand has been shown to not increase over time, with periods of inactivity ranging from several minutes upwards. Despite available space SCP-XXXX-3 has not increased in mass since March 30th 20██. In two instances the sand has breached vessels capable of sustaining 1.3 MPa and 1.8 MPa resistances. In both cases the mass of sand continued to expand until the volume of the second vessel was filled.

Addendum I: Samples can only be studied with express permission of personnel with clearance level 3 or higher. Inspection must take place in a hermetically sealed containment chamber where the door is at least 0.5 m higher than the floor. All tests are to be carried out within or above the dedicated testing boxes. In the case of failure the samples must be able to fall under gravity into the testing boxes which will should then be sealed. Sealed testing boxes must then be stored in at least two further vessels and (if necessary) assigned new labels as SCP-XXXX samples. Creation of new samples of SCP-XXXX is forbidden until further notice.

Addendum II: Since acquiring the samples there have been ██ suspected cases of additional occurences of SCP-XXXX throughout the world, including significant observations in Morocco, Chile, Afghanistan, the USA and Italy. ██ cases have been identified by geologists as having natural causes. █ cases remain unexplained, but are contained by surrounding infrastructure, including isolated caves and abandoned buildings.