The Milky Way's central molecular zone (CMZ) presents an extreme environment for star formation, hosting the nearest supermassive black hole, young star clusters, and dense molecular gas clouds. Despite this rich environment, the CMZ perplexes astronomers by producing fewer stars than expected based on dense gas scaling relations. The ALMA CMZ Exploration Survey (ACES) aims to address this paradox and uncover the governing factors of star formation at the heart of the Milky Way by constructing a detailed, multi-scale picture of the physical and kinematic structure within the inner 100 pc of the Milky Way, down to individual star-forming cores using high-resolution and high-sensitivity ALMA data.
A key point of this multi-scale picture of energy cycling and feedback is understanding where the next generation of stars will form. Currently, we do not fully understand the specific conditions required for star formation in the CMZ, nor how these conditions may differ from those in the Galactic disk. To address this, I focus on Cloud E/F, a young supercluster progenitor cloud in the CMZ that shows signs of ongoing high-mass star formation. In my work, I investigate the kinematic properties of this cloud, focusing on the factors influencing star formation in such an extreme environment. My findings reveal sub/trans sonic gas motion providing new insights into the initial conditions for star formation which are crucial for understanding the broader context of stellar feedback within the CMZ.