End reductions, fundamental groups, and covering spaces of irreducible open 3-manifolds (Q2388856)

Let \(M\) be a connected, orientable, irreducible, open \(3\)-manifold. For a compact \(3\)-manifold \(J\) in \(M\) that does not lie in a \(3\)-ball in \(M\), there is an associated open neighborhood \(V\), called an \textit{end-reduction} of \(M\) at \(J\) [\textit{M. G. Brin} and \textit{T. Thickstun}, Topology 26, 211--233 (1987; Zbl 0622.57010)]. The author shows that under certain conditions the inclusion of \(V\) into \(M\) induces an isomorphism on fundamental groups. He also shows that if \(M\) has universal covering space homeomorphic to \(\mathbb{R}^3\), then so does \(V\).