Software Trigger Algorithms to Search for Magnetic Monopoles with the NOνA Far Detector

The NOvA far detector, due to its surface proximity, large size, good timing resolution, large energy dynamic range, and continuous readout, is sensitive to the detection of magnetic monopoles over a large range of velocities and masses. In order to record candidate magnetic monopole events with high efficiency we have designed a software-based trigger to make decisions based on the data recorded by the detector. The decisions must be fast, have high efficiency, and a large rejection factor for the over 100,000 cosmic rays that course through the detector every second. In this paper we briefly describe the simulation of magnetic monopoles, including the detector response, and then discuss the algorithms applied to identify magnetic monopole candidates. We also present the results of trigger efficiency and purity tests using simulated samples of magnetic monopoles with overlaid cosmic backgrounds and electronic noise.