We give an explicit lower bound, in terms of the distance from the boundary, for the Kobayashi metric of a certain class of bounded pseudoconvex domains in $\mathbb{ C}^n$ with $\mathcal{ C}^2$-smooth boundary using the regularity theory for the complex Monge--Ampere equation. Using such an estimate, among other tools, we construct a family of unbounded Kobayashi hyperbolic domains in $\mathbb{ C}^n$ having a certain negative-curvature-type property with respect to the Kobayashi distance. As an application, we prove a Picard-type extension theorem for the latter domains.
Categories: math.CV math.MG