Rational connectivity and analytic contractibility
Abstract Let {{k}} be an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0, and let {f:X\to Y} be a morphism of smooth projective varieties over the ring {k((t))} of formal Laurent series. We prove that if a general geometric fiber of f is rationally connected, then the induced map {f^{\mathrm{an}}:X^{\mathrm{an}}\to Y^{\mathrm{an}}} between the Berkovich analytifications of X and Y is a homotopy equivalence. Two important consequences of this result are that the Berkovich analytification of any {\mathbb{P}^{n}} -bundle over a smooth projective {k((t))} -variety is homotopy equivalent to the Berkovich analytification of the base, and that the Berkovich analytification of a rationally connected smooth projective variety over {k((t))} is contractible.