  Using inelastic neutron scattering and molecular dynamics simulations on a
model Zr-Cu-Al metallic glass, we show that transverse phonons persist well
into the high-frequency regime, and can be detected at large momentum transfer.
Furthermore, the apparent peak width of the transverse phonons was found to
follow the static structure factor. The one-to-one correspondence, which was
demonstrated for both Zr-Cu-Al metallic glass and a 3-dimensional Lennard-Jones
model glass, suggests a universal correlation between the phonon dynamics and
the underlying disordered structure. This remarkable correlation, not found for
longitudinal phonons, underscores the key role that transverse phonons hold for
understanding the structure-dynamics relationship in disordered materials.
