The metallic glassZr65Al7.5Cu27.5exhibits a wide temperature range in the undercooled liquid region. This offers the possibility of examining the phenomena that occur during glass transition. We investigated this glass by x-ray diffraction and x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at room temperature and at elevated temperatures below and above the glass transition temperature. The total number of nearest neighbors determined by x-ray diffraction remained unchanged. Using XAS irreversible changes in the short range order (SRO) towards the SRO of crystallineZr2Cuis observed in the nearest neighbor shell which is consistent with the x-ray diffraction results. The long range order was not affected by these changes. From the temperature dependence of the atomic mean-square relative displacements&sgr;2,Debye temperatures were determined and they compare well with low temperature specific heat measurements. AboveTgthe slope of&sgr;2increases drastically and is attributed to anharmonic effects. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.