9205037 Usc - 92 / Hep - B 1 Global Analysis of New Gravitational Singularities in String and Particle

We present a global analysis of the geometries that arise in non-compact current algebra (or gauged WZW) coset models of strings and particles propagating in curved space-time. The simplest case is the 2d black hole. In higher dimensions these geometries describe new and much more complex singularities. For string and particle theories (defined in the text) we introduce general methods for identifying global coordinates and give the general exact solution for the geodesics for any gauged WZW model for any number of dimensions. We then specialize to the 3d geometries associated with SO(2, 2)/SO(2, 1) (and also SO(3, 1)/SO(2, 1)) and discuss in detail the global space, geodesics, curvature singularities and duality properties of this space. The large-small (or mirror) type duality property is reformulated as an inversion in group parameter space. The 3d global space has two topologically distinct sectors, with patches of different sectors related by duality. The first sector has a singularity surface with the topology of " pinched double trousers ". It can be pictured as the world sheet of two closed strings that join into a single closed string and then split into two closed strings, but with a pinch in each leg of the trousers. The second sector has a singularity surface with the topology of " double saddle " , pictured as the world sheets of two infinite open strings that come close but do not touch. We discuss the geodesicaly complete spaces on each side of these surfaces and interpret the motion of particles in physical terms. A cosmological interpretation is suggested and comments are made on possible physical applications. † This paper is dedicated to the memory of Feza Gürsey who introduced one of us to the beauty of symmetry and group theory.