A $p$-adic Bertini theorem for unipotent local systems

Abstract

In this short note we prove a version of Bertini's theorem for unipotent rigid fundamental groups, stating that for every smooth, projective, geometrically connected variety $X$ over an infinite perfect field $k$ of characteristic $p>0$, there exists a smooth, projective, geometrically connected curve $C\subset X$ such that the induced map on rigid fundamental groups is surjective.