Bharat Rastogi

  • Assistant Professor of Physical Geography
  • Terrestrial carbon cycle and climate feedbacks
  • PhD Oregon State University 2018
  • PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

Research Interests

Anthropogenic CO2 emissions are fundamentally altering Earth's climate with wide ranging impacts on terrestrial ecosystems. The overarching goal of my research is to better understand the changing carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems: how these ecosystems respond to anthropogenic climate change and land management decisions, and in turn how those changes will feed back on the climate and affect human societies.

Current research

I employ a combination of ecosystem-scale measurements, regional-scale data assimilation models, and remote sensing to investigate problems to answer research questions. 

At the ecosystem-scale I use direct observations of carbon and energy fluxes between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere to understand ecosystem-scale processes. In addition, I make measurements of a trace gas called carbonyl sulfide, which carries powerful information about photosynthesis and the regulation of water loss from plant leaves (stomatal conductance). My current research also includes measuring canopy temperatures using thermal infrared cameras, and using measurements of diffuse light to understand the role of clouds and smoke in regulating land-atmosphere carbon and water exchange. 

Direct flux observations do not exist at scales larger than 1 km2. To constrain biome-wide responses to anthropogenic climate change, I use measurements of CO2 concentration (like the measurements that make the famous Keeling curve), and other related tracers (such as the stable isotopologue of CO2- 13CO2) made by NOAA's Global Monitoring Lab, and satellite retrievals of CO2, in combination with models of data assimilation- typically called 'Atmospheric inversions'. 


Recently Taught Courses:

  • Fall 2024  GEOG 3251  Mountain Geosystems
  • Spring 2024  GEOG 3301  Analysis of Climate and Weather Observations

Prospective students 

MA and PhD positions in Geography available at the University of Colorado Boulder

The Climate Effects and Atmosphere-Surface Exchange of CO2 (CEASE CO2) lab at the University of Colorado Boulder is seeking motivated M.A. and PhD students in Geography, starting in Fall 2025. 

PhD position: This is a fully funded PhD position. The student will be working on a NASA funded project to use atmospheric and space-borne observations of CO2 to quantify carbon fluxes over North America. This project will involve collaboration with scientists at NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory in Boulder, as well as collaborators at the University of Minnesota and the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

The ideal candidate should have a strong background in one or more of the following areas: atmospheric/climate science, Earth and environmental sciences, data science, or related physical sciences. Proficiency with at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Matlab or R), and a background in Bayesian methods is highly desirable. 

M.A. position:  This is a fully funded M.A. position. The student will be working on quantifying the effects of smoke on ecosystem photosynthesis using a combination of field measurements and data analysis. The ideal candidate should have a strong background in one or more of the following areas: atmospheric/climate science, Earth and environmental sciences, or related physical sciences. Proficiency with at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Matlab or R), and experience with eddy covariance data is highly desirable. 

In addition, I highly encourage you in learning about fellowships to attend graduate school, for example the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship or NASA FINESST. I’m happy to discuss proposal ideas, guide you through the proposal writing process and provide feedback on proposals. 

There is important information related to graduate admissions at CU Boulder Geography here, along with additional information on curriculum here. Please explore the related information on the graduate program on the CU Geography website.