We develop a novel statistical approach to identify emission features or set upper limits in high-resolution spectra in the presence of high background. The method relies on detecting differences from the background using smooth tests and using classical likelihood ratio tests to characterise known shapes like emission lines. We perform signal detection or place upper limits on line fluxes while accounting for the problem of multiple comparisons. We illustrate the method by applying it to a Chandra LETGS+HRC-S observation of symbiotic star RT Cru, successfully detecting previously known features like the Fe line emission in the 6-7 keV range and the Iridium-edge due to the mirror coating on Chandra. We search for thermal emission lines from Ne X, Fe XVII, O VIII, and O VII, but do not detect them, and place upper limits on their intensities consistent with a $\approx$1 keV plasma. We serendipitously detect a line at 16.93 $\unicode{x212B}$ that we attribute to photoionisation or a reflection component.

翻译：我们开发了一种新颖的统计方法，用于在高背景存在的情况下识别高分辨率光谱中的发射特征或设定上限。该方法基于利用平滑检验检测与背景的差异，并使用经典似然比检验来表征已知形状（如发射线）。我们在考虑多重比较问题的同时，进行信号检测或对线通量设定上限。通过将其应用于钱德拉卫星LETGS+HRC-S对共生星RT Cru的观测，我们展示了该方法：成功探测到先前已知的特征，例如6-7 keV范围内的铁线发射以及由钱德拉镜面涂层引起的铱吸收边。我们搜寻了来自Ne X、Fe XVII、O VIII和O VII的热发射线，但未探测到它们，并设定了与约1 keV等离子体一致的强度上限。我们偶然发现了一条位于16.93 Å的谱线，并将其归因于光电离或反射成分。