The I-DT Hydro Framework: Immersive Digital Twin Platforms for Hydrologic Systems

Immersive digital twin platforms are emerging as a key paradigm for advancing the understanding and management of hydrologic systems, by integrating interfaces and workflows within a unified conceptual architecture. This contribution presents the I-DT Hydro Framework, a conceptual model that defines the core components, interactions, and design principles of immersive digital twin platforms for water resources applications. The framework functions as a human-facing integration layer for a hydrologic digital twin architecture that includes data integration, multi-scale modeling, and simulation pipelines, continuously supported by real-time monitoring from remote sensing, in-situ observations, and crowdsourced data, and made accessible through immersive and interactive interfaces. A central element of the I-DT Hydro Framework is the role of immersive interfaces, enabled through extended reality (XR), which mediates between complex computational processes and human interpretation and decision-making. Hydrologic systems and the models used to represent them are inherently complex and often inaccessible to non-specialist users. Immersive experiences provide a new method for decision-makers with diverse domain expertise to access, explore, and interpret the knowledge generated by hydrologic data and models. The framework further illustrates how hybrid modeling and machine learning can be embedded within autonomous pipelines to support adaptive decision support systems under dynamic environmental conditions. By explicitly linking platform layers, workflows, and user interaction, the I-DT Hydro Framework provides a shared reference for the design and evaluation of immersive digital twin platforms, supporting scalability, interoperability, and stakeholder engagement in hydrologic digitization.