The Ample Cone of the Kontsevich Moduli Space

http://dx.doi.org/10.4153/CJM-2009-005-8
Canad. J. Math. 61(2009), 109-123

  Published:2009-02-01
 Printed: Feb 2009

We produce ample (resp.\ NEF, eventually free) divisors in the Kontsevich space $\Kgnb{0,n} (\mathbb P^r, d)$ of $n$-pointed, genus $0$, stable maps to $\mathbb P^r$, given such divisors in $\Kgnb{0,n+d}$. We prove that this produces all ample (resp.\ NEF, eventually free) divisors in $\Kgnb{0,n}(\mathbb P^r,d)$. As a consequence, we construct a contraction of the boundary $\bigcup_{k=1}^{\lfloor d/2 \rfloor} \Delta_{k,d-k}$ in $\Kgnb{0,0}(\mathbb P^r,d)$, analogous to a contraction of the boundary $\bigcup_{k=3}^{\lfloor n/2 \rfloor} \tilde{\Delta}_{k,n-k}$ in $\kgnb{0,n}$ first constructed by Keel and McKernan.