  We investigate the gravitational field of a static mass with quadrupole
moment in empty space. It is shown that in general this configuration is
characterized by the presence of curvature singularities without a surrounding
event horizon. These naked singularities generate an effective field of
repulsive gravity which, in turn, drastically changes the behavior of test
particles. As a possible consequence, the accretion disk around a naked
singularity presents a particular discontinuous structure.
