Geomagnetic information is used to restrict the rising error of the inertial navigation system

in geomagnetic navigation, and it meets the demands of submarine navigation, which include self-

help, imperceptibility and high-precision. In this paper, the development of passive magnetic

navigation has been described, and the problems existent in previous studies have been analyzed and

indicated as follows: First, the submarine navigation should use the fine-scale, measured magnetic

map instead of directly using the IGRF model reference value. Second, the influence of the

geomagnetic diurnal change must be taken into account when magnetic navigation is used. The

theories and algorithms of using Kalman filter for passive magnetic navigation were elaborated, and a

simulation test was done, which attained the effect of using the geomagnetic field to assist inertial

navigation. Moreover, the theories and algorithms in which Kalman filter was used for passive

magnetic navigation were introduced, and then a simulation test was done, which attained the effect

of using the geomagnetic field to assist inertial navigation. Then the characteristics of geomagnetic

diurnal change were described, and the method that could eliminate the influence of the diurnal

change was discussed and the solution was put forward. By calibrating the mean diurnal change, the

interference caused by geomagnetic diurnal change to submarine navigation could be reduced to some

extent. At last, a simulation test for submarine passive navigation process was done. In the test the

magnetic anomaly database of a marine geological research in a certain area of East China Sea was

used, and the orientation of submarine navigation was modified.