2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/112765We show that open 3-manifolds that have a locally finite decomposition along 2-spheres are characterized by the existence of a Riemannian metric with respect to which the second homotopy group of the manifold is generated by small elements.accepted by GAFAGeometric Topology57M50text