We derived Melt Extent（ME） and Melt Index（MI） of snowmelt in Antarctica from 1978 to 2010 using satellite passive microwave SMMR and SSM/I data. A modified ice sheet snowmelt detection method based on wavelet transform was developed to determine and characterize melt occurrences. Annual ME and MI data were used to analyze temporal variation in features of snowmelt in Antarctica from 1978 to 2010.In addition

we analyzed variation in snow melt from 2000 to 2010 for comparison; this decade has experienced the greatest changes in global climate. Furthermore

we divided Antarctica into four analysis regions based on the complexity of spatio-temporal variations of snowmelt. We discovered that snowmelt in Antarctica exhibited different temporal patterns in East Antarctica and West Antarctica. The snowmelt in West Antarctica changed dramatically during the first analysis period

while the variations of snowmelt in East Antarctica were more moderate

even appearing to decrease. In addition

we found a positive correlation between variations of snowmelt and variations of temperature in Antarctica

which suggests that temperature changes influenced snowmelt.