X-ray obscuration from a variable ionized absorber in PG 1114+445
  Photoionized absorbers of outflowing gas are commonly found in the X-ray
spectra of active galactic nuclei (AGN). While most of these absorbers are
seldom significantly variable, some ionized obscurers have been increasingly
found to substantially change their column density on a wide range of time
scales. These $N_\text{H}$ variations are often considered as the signature of
the clumpy nature of the absorbers. Here we present the analysis of a new Neil
Gehrels Swift Observatory campaign of the type-1 quasar PG 1114+445, which was
observed to investigate the time evolution of the multiphase outflowing
absorbers previously detected in its spectra. The analyzed dataset consists of
22 observations, with a total exposure of $\sim90$ ks, spanning about $20$
months. During the whole campaign, we report an unusually low flux state with
respect to all previous X-ray observations of this quasar. From the analysis of
the stacked spectra we find a fully covering absorber with a column density
$\log(N_\text{H}/\text{cm}^{-2})=22.9^{+0.3}_{-0.1}$. This is an order of
magnitude higher than the column density measured in the previous observations.
This is either due to a variation of the known absorbers, or by a new one,
eclipsing the X-ray emitting source. We also find a ionization parameter of
$\log(\xi/\text{erg cm s}^{-1})=1.4^{+0.6}_{-0.2}$. Assuming that the
obscuration lasts for the whole duration of the campaign, i.e. more than $20$
months, we estimate the minimum distance of the ionized clump, which is located
at $r\gtrsim0.5$ pc.
