Naked singularities in four-dimensional string backgrounds.

It is shown that gauged nonlinear sigma models can be always deformed by terms proportional to the field strength of the gauge fields (nonminimal gauging). These deformations can be interpreted as perturbations, by marginal operators, of conformal coset models. When applied to the SL(2, R) × SU(2)/ (U(1)× U(1)) WZWN model, a large class of four-dimensional curved spacetime backgrounds are obtained. In particular, a naked singularity may form at a time when the volume of the universe is different from zero. Work supported by the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung. e-mail: [email protected]