PERTURBATION OF THE GROUND VARIETIES OF C = 1 STRING THEORY

We discuss the effect of perturbations on the ground rings of c = 1 st ring theory at the various compactification radii defining the A(N) po ints of the moduli space. We argue that perturbations by plus-type mod uli define ground varieties which are equivalent to the unperturbed on es under redefinitions of the coordinates and hence cannot smoothen th e singularity. Perturbations by the minus-type moduli, on the other ha nd, lead to semi-universal deformations of the singular varieties that can smoothen the singularity under certain conditions. To first order , the cosmological perturbation by itself can remove the singularity o nly at the self-dual (A1) point.