  The Galactic center (GC) is a dense and chaotic region filled with unusual
sources, such as intense star forming regions, dense star clusters, nonthermal
radio filaments, and a massive black hole. The proximity of the GC region makes
it an ideal place to study the unusual processes that tend to manifest
themselves in Galactic nuclei. This thesis uses single-dish and interferometric
radio continuum, radio recombination line, polarized radio continuum, and
mid-IR observations to study the wide variety of physical processes seen in the
GC region on physical scales from 0.1 to 100 parsecs. These observations
provide one of the most sensitive studies of the radio continuum emission in
the central 500 parsecs. I also study the properties of nonthermal radio
filaments, which can constrain their origin and the structure of the magnetic
field in the GC region.
  The presence of massive star clusters and a massive black hole suggest that
starburst and AGN phenomena can manifest themselves in our Galaxy. This thesis
explores this possibility by studying a 150-pc-tall, shell-like structure
called the Galactic center lobe (GCL). Our observations examine the spectral
index, dust emission, polarized continuum emission, and ionized gas throughout
the GCL. I find strong evidence supporting the idea that the GCL is a true
three-dimensional shell located in the GC region with nested layers of ionized,
magnetized, and mid-IR--emitting components. I compare the physical conditions
of the GCL to proposed models for its origin and find best agreement with
starburst outflows seen in other galaxies, yet consistent with the currently
observed pressure and star formation rate in the central tens of parsecs of our
Galaxy. (abridged)
