Rational connectedness and order of non-degenerate meromorphic maps from \(\mathbb C^n\) (Q253149)

The authors use methods and results from complex geometry and Nevanlinna theory in several complex variables to prove the following theorem: An \(n\)-dimensional compact Kähler manifold \(X\) is rationally connected if it admits a non-degenerate meromorphic map \(f:\mathbb{C}^n\to X\) with order \(\rho_f<2\). Here \textit{non-degenerate} means that there exists an open set \(U\not=\emptyset\) in \(\mathbb{C}^n\) such that \(f|_U:U\rightarrow f(U)\) is biholomorphic. The order \(\rho_f\) is defined as \(\limsup_{r\rightarrow\infty}\frac{\log T_f(r;\omega)}{\log r}\), where \[ T_f(r;\omega):=\int_1^r\frac{dt}{t^{2n-1}}\int_{B_t}(f^*\omega)\wedge\alpha^{n-1}, \] \(\omega\) is a positive \((1,1)\)-form on \(X\), \(\alpha=dd^c\|z\|^2\) is the standard \((1,1)\)-form on \(\mathbb{C}^n\) and \(B_t=\{z\in\mathbb{C}^n\,|\,\|z\|<t\}\). The order \(\rho_f\) is independent of the choice of \(\omega\). The authors use the fact that \(X\) is rationally connected iff there is no pseudo-effective invertible subsheaf \(F\subset\Omega_X^p\) for some \(p\in\mathbb{N}\), see \textit{F. Campana} et al. [Lond. Math. Soc. Lect. Note Ser. 417, 71--91 (2014; Zbl 1369.53052)]. Assuming the existence of a pseudo-effective line bundle \(F\) on \(X\), the authors construct a plurisubharmonic function on \(\mathbb{C}^n\) which is a lower bound for \(\|Df\|\), the norm taken with respect to the euclidean norm on \(\mathbb{C}^n\) and a fixed hermitian metric on \(X\). Together with the relation \(f^*\omega\wedge\alpha^{n-1}\geq C\|Df\|^2\alpha^n\) this leads to the inequality \(\rho_f\geq 2\). The bound \(\rho_f<2\) in the theorem cannot be improved, since \(\rho_f=2\) for \(X\) an abelian variety and \(f\) the universal covering map of \(X\). The necessity of the Kähler assumption on \(X\) is shown by the following example: Let \(\lambda\in\mathbb{C}\), \(|\lambda|>1\), \(k\in\mathbb Z\), and \(X\) the Hopf surface \(\mathbb{C}^2\backslash\{(0,0)\}/\sim\) with \((z,w)\sim (\lambda^kz,\lambda^kw)\). The holomorphic map \(f:\mathbb{C}^2\rightarrow X\), induced by \((z,w)\mapsto(z,1+zw)\), has order \(\rho_f\leq 1\). For \(n=2\) the theorem was known; see Theorem 3.3.7 in [\textit{J. Noguchi} and \textit{J. Winkelmann}, Nevanlinna theory in several complex variables and diophantine approximation. Tokyo: Springer (2014; Zbl 1337.32004)]. The result of the paper is part of a series of statements relating the existence and growth of meromorphic maps from \(\mathbb{C}^n \) to algebro-geometric properties of the target space. Several open problems are listed at the end of the article.