The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) mission provides unique measurements of vertical profiles of aerosols and clouds and their properties during day and night-time over all types of surfaces. This information has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of the properties and effects of aerosol and clouds. This dissertation presents the results of a comprehensive analysis of CALIPSO lidar (version 2 and version 3.01) data in conjunction with A-Train satellite and ground-based observations aimed at characterizing mineral aerosol in East Asia and other major dust sources. The specific objectives were to characterize the spatial distribution and properties of atmospheric dust in the dust source regions using new CALIOP (version 3.01) data in conjunction with satellite MODIS, OMI, and CloudSat data and ground-based meteorological and lidar data; investigate changes in the vertical distribution and properties of dust during mid- and long-range transport; perform a modeling of the optical properties of nonspherical dust particles, and assess the radiative forcing and heating/cooling rates of atmospheric dust by performing radiative transfer modeling constrained by satellite data in major dust source regions.