Matroid automorphisms of the H_4 root system

Abstract

We study the rank 4 linear matroid $M(H_4)$ associated with the 4-dimensional root system $H_4$. This root system coincides with the vertices of the 600-cell, a 4-dimensional regular solid. We determine the automorphism group of this matroid, showing half of the 14,400 automorphisms are geometric and half are not. We prove this group is transitive on the flats of the matroid, and also prove this group action is primitive. We use the incidence properties of the flats and the {\it orthoframes} of the matroid as a tool to understand these automorphisms, and interpret the flats geometrically.