For　wave　propagation　in　dispersive　media,　the　arrival　time　of　the　acoustic　emission　signal　to　the　sensor　is　dependent　on　the　setting　of　the　threshold　voltage,　which　results　in　the　inaccuracy　of　the　acoustic　emission　location.　Based　on　the　wavelet　transform　and　the　theory　of　modal　acoustic　emission,　a　new　method　is　proposed　to　improve　the　accuracy　of　acoustic　emission　source　location.　It　is　believed　that　the　acoustic　emission　signal　propagation　in　the　structure　has　the　characteristics　of　multi-mode　and　dispersion,　and　the　acoustic　emission　source　location　should　use　the　arrival　time　to　sensors　obtained　from　the　output　signals　not　only　at　the　same　mode　but　also　at　the　same　frequency.　The　wavelet　transform　is　used　to　resolve　the　problem.　By　utilizing　the　time-frequency　data　of　the　wavelet,　the　frequency-dependent　arrival　time　traveling　is　easily　obtained;　by　numerical　computation　of　the　wave＇s　propagation　in　structure,　the　group　velocity　of　the　guided　mode　is　also　obtained,　therefore　the　accuracy　source　location　is　realized.　The　acoustic　emission　source　location　experiments　were　conducted　in　a　thin　steel　plate　and　results　show　that　the　technique　is　an　effective　tool　for　acoustic　emission　source　location.　©　Higher　Education　Press　2006.