An Off-Axis Jet Model For GRB980425 and Low Energy Gamma-Ray Bursts

Using a simple off-axis jet model of GRBs, we can reproduce the observed unusual properties of the prompt emission of GRB980425, such as the extremely low isotropic equivalent gamma-ray energy, the low peak energy, the high fluence ratio, and the long spectral lag when the jet with the standard energy of ~10^{51}ergs and the opening half-angle of \Delta\theta=~10-30 degree is seen from the off-axis viewing angle ~\Delta\theta+10/\gamma, where \gamma is a Lorentz factor of the jet. For our adopted fiducial parameters, if the jet that caused GRB980425 is viewed from the on-axis direction, the intrinsic peak energy Ep(1+z) is ~2.0-4.0 MeV, which corresponds to those of GRB990123 and GRB021004. We also discuss the connection of GRB980425 in our model with the X-ray flash, and the origin of a class of GRBs with small E_gamma.