[Tex/LaTex] Time line with marked points, flipped curly brackets beneath using Tikz package

bracketsgraphics

I have previously used the Tikz package for illustrations of nodes and paths in LaTeX, but I don't know where to start to make the figure illustrated below.

Could someone please give a rough setup on how to make a time line with marks, the flipped curly brackets below the time line, the brackets above the time line, and the dotted line from one of the brackets and down to the mark on the time line?

figure

Best Answer

Since it is your first question, and since we are supposed to be nice to new comers, here is a more verbose code for you.

\documentclass[tikz,border=5]{standalone}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations.pathreplacing}
\begin{document}
  \begin{tikzpicture}
    \draw[thick,->] (0,0) -- (10,0)node[below] {Time};    
    \node[scale=4,inner sep=0pt,outer sep=0pt,anchor=west,label=above:$a_i$] (ail) at (1,4) {[};
    \node[scale=4,inner sep=0pt,outer sep=0pt,anchor=west,label=above:$b_i$] (air) at (3,4) {]};
    \draw[dashed] (ail) -- +(0,-4)node[pos=1](a){};
    \draw[very thick] (a.north)--(a.south);
    \draw[very thick] (3,4pt) -- (3,-4pt);
    \draw[very thick] (9,4pt) -- (9,-4pt);
    \node[scale=4,inner sep=0pt,outer sep=0pt,anchor=west,label=above:$a_j$] (ajl) at (6,3) {[};
    \node[scale=4,inner sep=0pt,outer sep=0pt,anchor=west,label=above:$b_j$] (ajr) at (8,3) {]};
    \draw[dashed] (ajr) -- +(0,-3);
    \draw[decorate, decoration={brace, amplitude=5pt},] ([yshift=-0.2cm]2.95,0)-- node[below=0.25cm]
         {$\check{S}_i$}([yshift=-0.2cm]a.center);
    \draw[decorate, decoration={brace, amplitude=5pt},] ([yshift=-0.2cm]9,0)-- node[below=0.25cm]
         {$\hat{t}_{ij}$}([yshift=-0.2cm]3.05,0);
  \end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

enter image description here

You can actually draw the brackets unlike me. I have not used any particular position to put the ticks on the time line since I could not follow your pattern. This should serve as a starting point for you.

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