Towards a multi-scale understanding of the gas-star formation cycle in
  the Central Molecular Zone
  The Central Molecular Zone (CMZ, the central 500 pc of the Milky Way)
contains the largest reservoir of high-density molecular gas in the Galaxy, but
forms stars at a rate 10-100 times below commonly-used star formation
relations. We discuss recent efforts in understanding how the nearest galactic
nucleus forms its stars. The latest models of the gas inflow, star formation,
and feedback duty cycle reproduce the main observable features of the CMZ,
showing that star formation is episodic and that the CMZ currently resides at a
star formation minimum. Using orbital modelling, we derive the
three-dimensional geometry of the CMZ and show how the orbital dynamics and the
star formation potential of the gas are closely coupled. We discuss how this
coupling reveals the physics of star formation and feedback under the
conditions seen in high-redshift galaxies, and promotes the formation of the
densest stellar clusters in the Galaxy.
