Mr Griffin is the lead author of research published this week into the Hyde fault, responsible for the formation and uplift of the Rock and Pillar range.
A university spokesman said Mr Griffin’s study added to work on Dunedin faults already undertaken by Otago’s Earthquake Science Group.
The group had been investigating regions regarded as "low-seismicity" that contain active faults.
The Hyde fault, which extends for at least 55km along the southeastern edge of the Rock and Pillar Range, is active every 12,000 years, with evidence of four earthquakes occurring since about 65,000 years ago.
The fault appeared to generate earthquakes more of an even pattern than the Akatore fault along the coast south of Dunedin, and could generate an earthquake with magnitude in the low-to-mid 7s, the spokesman said.
